“One can’t even take out religious processions in peace”: Anurag Thakur slams Bihar, Bengal govts over violence

New Delhi [India], April 4 (ANI): At a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been urging world peace, saying it is not an era of war, two Opposition-ruled states in the country are suffering violence and chaos during festivities, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said on Tuesday, hitting out at the Bihar and Bengal governments.

The Union minister made the remark while addressing an event organised by Ahimsa Vishwa Bhati Sanstha and the World Peace Centre on the occasion of Mahavir Jayanti.

Thakur said, “Modi-ji is telling the whole world that’this is not an era of war. This is the time to discuss, deliberate and be a part of a democratic discourse.”

“But two chief ministers back home in India, with their biased remarks, have raised question marks on whether recent incidents of violence were orchestrated to serve to narrow political motives and in a bid to appease a particular community,” he added.

He said spreading unrest for vote-bank politics threatens peace and is also against the greater good of the country.

Hitting out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Thakur said, “When the chief minister of Bengal herself says that Hindu processions should not enter a particular area, isn’t she dividing the society?”

The Union minister added, “Two countries in the world are involved in a military conflict currently. But that’s a different issue. In our country, it’s only in Bihar and Bengal where the situation has worsened to such levels that one can’t take out a religious procession in peace even on Ram Navami.”

Meanwhile, both West Bengal and Bihar saw clashes during the Ram Navami celebrations. Incidents of violence, arson and stone pelting were reported in these states. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 were also enforced in parts of these states in the wake of the violence.