EC’s ‘neutral officers’ checked Ram Navami violence in Bengal: Shah

Kolkata: Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday said there would have been more instances of violence during Ram Navami processions in Bengal had the Election Commission (EC) not deployed "neutral officers" in the state.

Prohibitory orders remained in force in Murshidabad's Raghunathganj and Jangipur on Saturday following clashes during a Ram Navami rally on Friday.


"There has been the least number of attacks during Ram Navami this time. The reason is the deployment of neutral officers by the Election Commission," Shah said while addressing a press conference here on Saturday.

The home minister also took a swipe at the state govt's past record. "BJP workers were killed after the 2021 assembly polls. Nearly 25,000 people had to take shelter in Jharkhand. Was the DGP under the Election Commission then? How can that be justified?" he asked.

Claiming that the transfer of "favoured officers of CM Mamata Banerjee" by the poll panel helped curb unrest, Shah added: "Not a single incident of violence is acceptable. We have to ensure the safety of every community. We also have to think especially about the majority community as appeasement politics has harmed them."

On Friday, Bengal BJP co-incharge Amit Malviya had noted that Murshidabad has a over 70% Muslim population, alleging that Banerjee had turned border districts into areas where "Hindus feel unsafe". Claiming the situation would worsen after the 2026 assembly polls if Trinamool is not voted out, he said, "The day may not be far when Bengali Hindus are forced to look for a new homeland."

BJP's Jangipur district president Subal Chandra Ghosh alleged that party workers were specifically targeted in Murshidabad and demanded that those who pelted stones at the procession be punished.