'Rishra is burning,' tweets BJP leader as fresh violence erupts in Hooghly

Rishra in West Bengal’s Hooghly district witnessed fresh violence on Monday night (April 3) with miscreants targeting railway properties, and leading to disruption in train services.

The incident comes a day after two groups clashed during a procession taken out by the BJP in the area.

The Chief Public Relations Officer of Eastern Railway, Kaushik Mitra, said that express, mail, and local train services were suspended for about three hours on the Howrah-Bandel section because of stone-pelting by unidentified persons near a level crossing. Several long-distance trains were delayed as a result. The train services resumed after midnight, said the railways.

Also read: WB: Clashes during Ram Navami procession in Hooghly; prohibitory orders imposed

Taking a dig at the Mamata Banerjee government, BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari said while “Rishra is burning,” the state administration is enjoying a holiday in Digha.

“Stone pelting & bombing near Rishra Railway Station forced suspension of local & express train services on the Howrah-Bardhaman Line. After RPF’s action train services now have been restored. Rishra is burning & the entire State Administration is enjoying beach holiday in Digha,” Adhikari tweeted.

There have been communal clashes in the districts of Howrah and Hooghly in West Bengal during Ram Navami processions. The government has posted riot control police to guard the Rishra station area to prevent any more violence.

The West Bengal government had imposed prohibitory orders and suspended internet services in the Rishra region on Sunday evening (April 2).

The Trinamool Congress has accused the BJP of instigating the communal violence in the state for political purposes.

Also read: Bengal Ram Navami violence: NCPCR issues notice to Howrah Police Commissioner

Abhishek Banerjee, MP and National General Secretary of the All India Trinamool Congress tweeted a video on Friday (March 31), with the following caption, “BJP’s DANGABAJI FORMULA at work again: Provoke & instigate communities against each other. Supply weapons to incite violence. Create communal tension deliberately. Reap political benefits. A classic unholy blueprint out of the @BJP4India playbook!”

BJP's DANGABAJI FORMULA at work again:

🧨 Provoke & instigate communities against each other.

💣 Supply weapons to incite violence.

⚔️Create communal tension deliberately.

🤹🏼🎁 Reap political benefits.

A classic unholy blueprint right out of the @BJP4India playbook!👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/HKZ0BmIlCm

— Abhishek Banerjee (@abhishekaitc) March 31, 2023

The BJP, in response to Abhishek Banerjee’s tweet, said that what he had posted was not from the Howrah rally organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.