Ram Navami violence: BJP's Smriti Irani slams Mamata Banerjee for giving 'clean chit' to stone pelters

On Friday, Banerjee asserted that neither Hindus nor Muslims, but the BJP and other right-wing organisations were behind the violence in Howrah's Kazipara area during a procession on Ram Navami.

Union minister Smriti Irani on Friday (March 31) slammed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the violence during a Ram Navami procession in Howrah and accused her of protecting those who pelted it with stones.

In a statement, the BJP leader said it was not the first time that such an "attack" happened on a religious exercise of Hinduism and alleged a similar attack had taken place during Lakshmi Puja.

"Even then Mamata Banerjee could not protect the Hindu community," Irani said.

"Instead of delivering justice, CM Mamata protected those who took law in their hands and attacked the Shobha Yatra of Ram Navami. She instead put those who took out the yatra in the dock and gave a clean chit to those who pelted the procession with stones," the union minister said.

On Friday, Banerjee asserted that neither Hindus nor Muslims, but the BJP and other right-wing organisations were behind the violence in Howrah's Kazipara area during a procession on Ram Navami. She also appealed to the people of both communities to maintain peace and law and order in the area.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday asserted that neither Hindus nor Muslims, but the BJP and other right-wing organisations were behind the violence in Howrah's Kazipara area during a procession on Ram Navami.

She also appealed to the people of both communities to maintain peace and law and order in the area. Banerjee admitted that it was a failure on part of the police and said strict action will be taken in this regard.

"I am lucky that no one was killed in yesterday's clash," Banerjee told news channel ABP Ananda. The Trinamool Congress supremo announced that those affected in the clash and had their houses and shops vandalised would be compensated by the state government.