West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday asserted that she would not let rioters go scot-free and strict action will be taken against them.

Addressing a rally in Purba Medinipur district, Banerjee alleged that the BJP was maligning the name of Lord Ram by organising violence during Ram Navami processions, reports PTI.

Clashes were reported in Hooghly and Howrah districts during Ram Navami processions over the last few days.

"The BJP is behind the violence in Hooghly and Howrah. They had brought in hired 'goondas' from other states to unleash violence in Bengal, which is not in our culture. They are defaming the Hindu religion by pitting one community against another. But rioters have no religion, they are just political goons. I appeal to everyone to maintain calm," she said.

Taking a dig at Union Home Minister Amit Shah, without naming him, she said, "The BJP said if the party comes to power in Bihar, it would hang rioters upside down. Then why are they not doing that to their goondas who are fomenting trouble in Bengal? Charity begins at home." Shah had made the remark during a recent public rally in Nawada district of Bihar, which has also witnessed communal clashes during Ram Navami.

Taking potshots at the CPI(M), she alleged that 'Baam' (Left) and 'Ram' (BJP) have joined hands against the TMC.

Here are the day's highlights:

• Centre seeks a comprehensive cause and action taken report from Bengal government on violence in Howrah and Hooghly
• Report sought by the Union home ministry
• Union home secretary Ajay Kr Bhalla writes to Bengal home secretary BP Gopalika seeking detail report on how the violence spread in Howrah and Hooghly and what action has been taken to bring it under control
• The letter was reportedly prompted by written complaints made by BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar and MP Locket Chatterjee seeking central intervention in the back to back instances of clashes in the two districts
• Police arrest man who brandished gun from Munger in Bihar
• In the aftermath of the violent clashes in Howrah, Sumit Shaw, a resident of Salkia was arrested from Munger, Bihar from his relative’s place
• He has, reportedly, confessed his participation in the procession with firearms
• Governor Dr CV Ananda Bose rushes from north Bengal to visit violence-hit Rishra
• TMC has hit out at the BJP for the Ram Navami rally alleging that BJP and VHP workers were seen to be brandishing pistols and swords in several videos, which were also flagged by General Secretary of AITC Abhishek Banerjee
• "We will now wait for the BJP's response", the TMC has said referring to Sumit's role as a BJP worker in the rally
• Sec 144 was imposed in Serampore and Rishra from 8 am today till normalcy returns
• Internet suspension extended for 2 more days in Serampore and Rishra
• BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar and party MP Jyotrimoy Singh Mahato were stopped from reaching Rishra by Hooghly police for the second day in a row citing section 144 clamped in Serampore and Rishra
• The duo were stopped at the Jagannathpur area under Dankuni PS
• Majumdar and Mahato entered into a verbal altercation with police alleging the police were trying to hide things at ground zero of violence
• The duo reasoned that they couldn’t be stopped at an area where there was no Section 144 and two people visiting the violence-affected area would not be a violation of the prohibitive section