Hooghly violence: 'Hooligans & thugs will be crushed with an iron hand'

KOLKATA: West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Sunday assured that culprits who created ruckus during the Shobha yatra in Hooghly will be arrested tonight.

While talking to ANI, Bose said, "Reinforcement rushed to the spot, and culprits will be booked tonight itself and put behind the bars. We're determined. This kind of hooliganism thwarts democratic processes."

He added, "Hooligans and thugs will be crushed with an iron hand. They will be made to curse the day they were born. Democracy can't be derailed. The state is determined to put an end to this arson and looting. Lawbreakers will soon realise that they're playing with fire."

On Sunday, ruckus and stone pelting erupted during the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Shobha yatra in Hooghly.

On Friday, Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani launched an attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the violence during a Ram Navami procession in Howrah and accused her of giving clean chit to those who pelted stones during the procession.

"Stone pelting happened during Ram Navami's procession in Howrah. Instead of delivering justice Mamata Bandopadhyay (Banerjee) gave a clean chit to stone pelters who took the law into their hands and attacked the Shobha Yatra of Ram Navami," Irani had alleged.

"The question is how long will Mamata keep attacking the Hindu community..." she had added.

Irani further stated, "This is not the first event that happened during the term of Mamata. Earlier in 2022, on Lakshmi Puja, when Dalits were performing puja they were attacked. At that time also she was quiet."

Earlier on Thursday, several vehicles were set on fire after two groups clashed in Howrah amid Ram Navami celebrations.

During the procession, the rioters vandalized public and private properties and set vehicles on fire.