Uproar in Jharkhand Assembly over Ram Navami restrictions

The ongoing Jharkhand Assembly session witnessed a huge uproar on Tuesday over restrictions imposed by the government on processions on the occasion of Ramnavami in Hazaribagh.

Last week, local authorities issued prohibitory orders imposing restrictions on movement of more than five people in a group, ban on loudspeakers/DJ, and carrying weapons like stick and arrow and bow in Barhi area of Hazaribagh district.

When the Assembly convened for the day on Tuesday morning, BJP legislators started raising slogans against the Mahagathbandhan government demanding an explanation on the administration’s decision to impose restrictions.

Calling the restrictions as “anti-Hindu”, the MLAs raised slogans hailing Lord Ram whose birthday is celebrated as Ram Navami.

Speaking to reporters at the Assembly complex, BJP legislators said that an FIR was lodged against as many as nine people who protested the government’s restrictions on the first mangla procession on March 14.

As his angry colleagues disrupted House proceedings to press for an explanation, BJP MLA Manish Jaiswal tore up his kurta to reveal ‘Jai Shri Ram’ written on his vest.

“The Hazaribagh administration has banned DJ (during Ram Navami procession) without giving any proper reason. Many people sat on a dharna to protest its decision of not allowing mangla procession. The government lodged an FIR against nine of them,” Jaiswal told media persons.

The BJP MLA said that five people were staging indefinite hunger strike and the health condition of many of them was serious.

Alleging the local administration’s high handedness, MLA Jaiswal claimed, “Police officials are meeting DJ owners and forcing them to give a written undertaking that they won’t rent their music systems for Ram Navami procession. Police are also threatening clubs with fake cases if they don’t pay heed to the police direction.”

“We want answers from the government. State ministers are not replying to our queries. Is it a sin to be a Hindu in Jharkhand?” an angry Jaiswal asked.

Alleging “atrocities on Hindus” in Jharkhand, the BJP legislator said that the grand alliance government is putting restrictions on Hindu festivals to appease minorities.

In an order issued on March 13, sub divisional magistrate for Barhi, Poonam Kujur imposed restrictions under section 144 of CrPC in anticipation of incidents that could potentially disturb peace and create law and order situation on Ram Navami.