Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the Bengal BJP of using the occasion of Ram Navami to “create riots” by conducting processions of people who wielded swords and other arms.

The chief minister cited the example of Howrah where a Ram Navami procession allegedly took an unauthorised route to attack a particular community.

“No one was stopped from organising any procession... but they organised processions to create riots. There were people carrying swords, hammers and sticks. They even brought bulldozers with them,” the chief minister said while wrapping up her 30-hour sit-in protest in the Maidan area against the Centre’s alleged anti-Bengal bias.

“Police had been given instructions that rallies would be permitted along specific routes.… But they (the BJP) chose to take the procession through unauthorised routes to attack a particular community,” Mamata added.

There was no official briefing on what happened in Howrah. Police sources said that several two-wheelers, carts and police vehicles had been torched and several shops vandalised after a clash between two groups over a Ram Navami procession.

Leader of the Opposition and BJP legislator Suvendu Adhikari had led a Ram Navami procession in Howrah on Thursday.

State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said: "The chief minister and her administration are lying. All necessary permissions were taken for the rally. The rally did not take the wrong route; it took the only route available towards Howrah Maidan.

"The chief minister had tweeted in the morning that if the rallies passed through Muslim areas, it would be a wrong route, and what happened in Howrah is a result of her tweet."

Bengal has witnessed a sudden rise in Ram Navami celebrations, especially in processions that feature arms-wielding participants, over the last few years that have coincided with the BJP's emergence as the main Opposition in the state.

Tensions in areas with mixed populations have become the norm during Ram Navami. While Trinamul blames the saffron ecosystem for the rise in tensions during Ram Navami, essentially a north Indian festival, the BJP attributes the trend to Trinamul’s “appeasement politics”.

Unlike previous years, there were no prohibitory orders on the marchers carrying arms this time, but the police in the districts had been told that no processions should be allowed in areas with mixed populations.

"Some elements are trying to create unrest through violence. I will not allow riots in Bengal,” Mamata said from her dharna venue, near the B.R. Ambdekar statue, off Red Road.

A source said: "Several hundred members of a religious outfit had organised a Ram Navami procession from Kazipara in Shibpur, Howrah, around 4.30pm. Armed with DJ boxes, the procession was scheduled to reach Bangabasi along GT Road. But when it reached a locality popularly known as Chowra Bustee, clashes broke out."

As the violence broke out, Mamata got off her dharna dais and began calling senior civil administration and police officials.

"She had been keeping tabs on the law-and-order situation across the state because of the experience of the last few years,” a source close to Mamata said. “Within minutes of information about the chaos reaching her, she gave instructions to the police and the situation was brought under control."

Mamata sent three senior Trinamul leaders — ministers Arup Roy and Manoj Tiwari and former MLA Rajeev Banerjee — to the affected areas to ensure a return to normality.

"Everyone should remain vigilant in his or her area. The police generally do a good job, but at times some of them get scared and make mistakes by trying to maintain good relations with both sides. Those who allowed processions on unauthorised routes and those who created violence will not be spared,” Mamata said.

No major incident relating to the Ram Navami celebrations was reported from elsewhere, except for some minor clashes in Dalkhola, North Dinajpur.

Delhi defiance

In Delhi, a large Ram Navami procession defied police orders and entered the Jahangirpuri area where communal clashes had occurred during an unauthorised Hanuman Jayanti procession last April. No one was injured on Thursday.

The Delhi police had denied permission for the Shree Ram Bhagwan Pratima Yatra to pass through the area, or for Ramazan prayers to be held at a local park, because of “intelligence that religious congregations might lead to a ruckus”, an officer said.

Asked whether action would be taken against the organisers of the procession for defying orders, he declined comment.

Gujarat stones

Stones were thrown at two Ram Navami processions in Vadodara city, PTI reported.

A few people were injured during the stoning in Kumbharwada locality but none were hurt during a similar incident in Fatehpura, where a few vehicles were damaged. The VHP organised the Fatehpura procession while local residents conducted the one in Kumbharwada.

Maharashtra clash

At least 12 people, including 10 policemen, were injured in Aurangabad city, Maharashtra, when a mob of around 500 people hurled stones and petrol-filled bottles late on Wednesday night, PTI reported.

The police were trying to control the situation following a clash between two groups near a prominent Ram temple when they came under attack, officials said. Thirteen vehicles were torched.