Delhi, 18 April (HS): The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has strongly condemned an incident of violence during Ram Navami celebrations in West Bengal and has demanded a thorough investigation into the matter by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). According to reports by the West Bengal Police, a woman was injured in a blast that took place during a procession in Murshidabad's Shaktipur area on Wednesday.

VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain has alleged that this attack was carried out under the patronage of the ruling party in West Bengal, the TMC (Trinamool Congress). He described the incident as a terrorist attack and emphasized on the need for an NIA probe. Furthermore, Jain criticized West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her appeals for peace and claims of fear of riots on Ram Navami, which he believed were just a guise to incite a particular community. He also accused the administration of being in collusion with the perpetrators and called for an NIA investigation as they cannot be trusted to investigate their own actions.

The VHP has announced plans for statewide protests and submitting a memorandum to the governor against this incident. On the other hand, Banerjee has claimed that the violence was pre-planned and orchestrated by the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. She also alleged that BJP-associated goons were involved in attacking police personnel in the district. The VHP's strong condemnation and demand for an NIA probe, along with Banerjee's accusations, have further intensified the political tensions in West Bengal.

Hindusthan Samachar/ Indrani Sarkar