April 12, 2017
Jogen Chowdhury speaks on armed Ram Navami rallies in Bengal
FULL TRANSCRIPT
Sir, this is a very serious issue. What happened during the Ram Navami celebrations in West Bengal is unthinkable and undesirable. Young boys and girls were walking with arms and swords in processions organised by the ruling party in various localities in West Bengal. It is dangerous. While we are giving proper education to our children yet we are training them on how to handle arms. The culture of Bengal – of Rabindranath Tagore, of Sri Chaitanya and Sri Ramakrishna – does not preach such hostility towards anybody. What is this culture of swords and arms that such a party is inflicting in Bengal and India instead of peace, tolerance, love and friendship on the auspicious day of Ram Navami? Such an act is similar to brainwashing of young children by the Taliban. It would be dangerous if such a culture becomes a practice. It will bring unforeseen disaster to our society and country. Such things cannot be encouraged for the sake of politics and power. It should be stopped at once. It will not even help the instigators as the people of Bengal do not support such acts. My earnest appeal to the Government of India is to look into this matter before it goes beyond control. The Hon. Chief Minister of West Bengal has already expressed her strong condemnation against such acts of politics of arms and violence. Finally, I appeal to all that none should bring Lord Rama in petty politics. Ram ka naam badnaam na karo.
