Mapping Ram Navami communal clashes
The Hindu
The processions on the occasion of Ram Navami festival has become a major communal flashpoint in recent years. Tap here to read more on The Hindu
During this year’s Ram Navami festival, several incidents of stone-pelting, offensive sloganeering, arson, and attack on religious places were reported in West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Karnataka.
Ram Navami processions have become a communal flashpoint in recent years with several instances of swords, machetes, iron rods, and wooden sticks being carried during the religious processions reported.
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Here, we attempt to trace the recent clashes linked to Ram Navami and the patterns behind the violence.
The interactive map below shows the approximate locations of several clashes that happened since 2012. Here are some basic instructions on how to use the map:
Disclaimer: To create the interactive map above, The Hindu collated the data and information of the clashes from the newspaper’s own archives and from other major news publications in the country. When it comes to the number of injuries, The Hindu has used either the lowest possible number that was confirmed or a range depending on news reports. Also, it is important to note that not all clashes may have received media coverage. Thus, some clashes may not have been showcased here.
The data for the last 11 years shows a significant increase in the number of reported incidents of violence linked to Ram Navami processions. Between 2012 and 2015, only a few clashes were reported in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. The reports increased between 2016 and 2019 in these States. In 2018, at least 17 incidents of communal clashes of varying intensity were reported across the States. The 2020-2021 period, when the pandemic struck and there was the subsequent countrywide lockdowns, was peaceful. In 2022, clashes were reported again in eight States.