Ram Navami processions sweep Bengal; Trinamool competes with BJP in organising processions

Ram Navami processions in West Bengal showcase political rivalry, communal harmony, and cultural significance with increased participation in 2025.

Ram Navami processions were organised across the length and breadth of West Bengal with heightened aggression on Sunday (April 6, 2025) and at certain places leaders of the Trinamool Congress also organised and participated in such rallies.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other Hindutva groups organised hundreds of processions with almost every leader from Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, State president Sukanta Majumdar, Dilip Ghosh and Locket Chatterjee, among others leading processions across different parts of the State.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was among the first to congratulate the people on Ram Navami on social media on Sunday (April 6, 2025) morning. “I appeal to all to maintain and uphold the values of peace, prosperity and development of all. I wish the celebration of the Ram Navami all success, in a peaceful manner,” Ms. Banerjee posted on X.

Mr. Adhikari, who inaugurated a Ram Temple at his constituency Nandigram, said the Chief Minister should not remind people to “uphold values of peace” on Ram Navami.

Trinamool Congress MLA from Jorasanko Vivek Gupta, party state general secretary Kunal Ghosh organised Ram Navami processions in the city. In Howrah’s Salkia, Trinamool Congress MLA Gautam Chowdhury participated in a rally organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Even in districts like Jalpaiguri and Birbhum, Trinamool Congress leaders took out Ram Navami processions. “Ram Navami processions do not mean BJP. Most of the Hindus are against BJP. Those who have joined Ram Navami processions are not in support of the BJP,” Mr. Kunal Ghosh said.

Ram Navami processions, a cultural import to the State, have coincided with the rise of hindutva politics in the State, which started in 2016. These processions have become a show of strength for the BJP. On Sunday (April 6, 2025), while the BJP leadership and their allies left no stone unturned for canvassing their support base through Ram Navami processions, the Trinamool leadership tried to compete with the hindutva forces.

Amidst the competitive Ram Navami rallies, there were signs of communal amity, where Muslims came forward and showered flower petals and offered food, drinks to those who participated in Ram Navami processions. Malda Uttar BJP MP Khagen Murmu was seen exchanging greetings with Muslims who welcomed the processions. This was in sharp contrast to developments in earlier years, where often Ram Navami processions had precipitated violence.