Saffron ecosystem plans more Ram Navami celebrations this year in poll-bound Bengal
Ram Navami will be observed over two days, March 26 and 27, with processions and pujas being organised across Bengal
Poll-bound Bengal is all set to witness unprecedented celebrations of Ram Navami, with the saffron ecosystem set to organise over 4,000 processions and pujas — at least 1,000 more than the figure last year.
Ram Navami will be observed over two days, March 26 and 27, with processions and pujas being organised across Bengal.
“In all three organisational sectors — Uttar Banga, Madhya Banga and Dakshin Banga — of the RSS and its affiliated organisations in Bengal, the number of processions will increase significantly. We expect around 1,000 more such programmes compared to last year,” said a source in the saffron ecosystem.
Keeping the elections in mind, the BJP leadership has also decided to take this year’s Ram Navami celebrations to a new level. A party source said that all BJP candidates would take part in processions organised in their respective constituencies.
“Yes, the election is one of the major factors that will escalate the number of processions in the state,” the source added.
Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said: “Two crore Hindus will take to the streets to celebrate Ram Navami this year.”
Although neither the BJP nor the RSS officially organises processions or celebrations, prominent figures from the saffron camp actively participate in events organised under the banner of Ram Navami Udjapan Committees. Leaders of the RSS, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Hindu Jagaran Manch play key roles in organising these events.
According to a member of a Ram Navami Udjapan Committee, around 3,200 processions and pujas were organised across Bengal last year.
Sources said that in Uttar Banga (north Bengal), Ram Navami was observed at 925 places, with around 23 lakh people participating in the celebration. In Madhya Banga (central Bengal), events were held at 1,150 places, drawing about 9.5 lakh participants. In Dakshin Banga (south Bengal), a total of 1,575 events were organised, with the participation of around 14 lakh people.
“We expect the total number of events, including processions and Ram pujas, to cross 4,000 this year. The number of participants can be calculated once the celebrations are completed,” said a senior Sangh Parivar leader.
The RSS, however, does not officially link Ram Navami with elections.
“Ram Navami has now turned into a social and religious programme like Durga Puja or other festivals. It is not connected with elections,” said Jisnu Basu, RSS’s Purba Kshetra Prachar Pramukh.
Since the BJP emerged as the principal Opposition party in Bengal, Ram Navami celebrations have increasingly become a political event in the state’s calendar. While the BJP has intensified efforts to leverage the festival to consolidate Hindu votes, the Trinamool Congress has also organised similar rallies in recent years.
Despite Trinamool’s efforts, the BJP has largely reaped the political dividends from Ram Navami events.
This year’s Ram Navami is particularly significant for the BJP, with several leaders claiming that the election could witness an unprecedented level of Hindu consolidation in Bengal.
Following the turmoil in Bangladesh, the Bengal BJP has sought to use the situation to consolidate Hindu votes in the state.
“We believe the Bangladesh developments and growing anti-incumbency will be enough to consolidate Hindu votes at a high level. We expect participation in Ram Navami events to be the highest this year,” said a senior BJP leader in Calcutta.
Rajbanshi leader Bangshibadan Barman and aides join BJP in Samik, Suvendu's presence
Barman, who is still the chairman of the Rajbanshi development and cultural board formed by the state government and is believed to have a considerable clout among the Rajbanshi population of north Bengal, had backed the Trinamool Congress so far.
Bangshibadan Barman, who heads a faction of the Greater Cooch Behar Peoples’ Association (GCPA), joined the BJP in Calcutta on Tuesday.
Barman, along with his close aide Girija Shankar Roy and Arghya Roy Pradhan, a Trinamool leader and an ex-MLA, joined the BJP in the presence of state party chief Samik Bhattacharya and Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the Opposition.
“Bangshibadan Barman, who has done a lot for the Rajbanshi community, is joining our party today. He will not contest the elections and has not asked for anything for himself. He has placed certain demands for the community and the region, which our party will duly consider,” said Adhikari.
Barman’s joining confirms a political realignment of two leaders in Cooch Behar. The other one is Nagendra Roy, aka Ananta Maharaj, a Rajya Sabha member of the BJP from Cooch Behar. He heads another faction of the GCPA.
Ananta, who was earlier with the BJP, was recently felicitated by the state government with its highest civilian award. Trinamool has also fielded Harihar Das, his close associate, in the Sitalkuchi seat of Cooch Behar.
“However, on Sunday, Ananta Maharaj had attended a high-level meeting of the BJP, which had led to confusion among both TMC and BJP leaders. But today, Bangshibadan Barman has confirmed that he will back the BJP, which definitely would boost the saffron camp,” said a political observer.
In his brief reaction, Barman said that he has joined the BJP as the party has assured him that the Centre would recognise the Rajbanshi language, which has been a longstanding demand of the community.
“Our language and culture have not flourished for years, and this time, we have got an assurance that the Rajbanshi language would be included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. It is a major development for us, and thus, we have assured complete support to the BJP,” said the GCPA leader.
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