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By India Today News Desk: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Jitendra Awhad on Saturday clarified his remarks on the Ram Navami violence after receving criticism. While speaking at an NCP public rally on Friday, the NCP leader said that he at times believes that holidays like Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti are only intended to spark riots.
Issuing clarification, Awhad said that he did not say riots took place during Ram Navami, but such an atmosphere was created.
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“Lord Ram is ‘Karuna-purush’. During childhood, we saw Lord Ram with Lord Laxman & Goddess Sita but…I didn’t say riots take place on Ram Navami, I said that such such atmosphere was created,” he told news agency ANI.
On Friday, Jitendra Awhad said, “It seems that the festivals of Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti are for riots only. The atmosphere in the cities has deteriorated due to riots. I think the coming years will be the years of religious riots.”
“What is that Maruti festival, specifically Ram Navami? Hanuman Jayanti… Are only riots intended for these two festivals? During these festivals, the urban environment deteriorated to an unprecedented degree. I believe that Mumbai residents were aware that there was a larger plan behind everything going on, based on what I know about Mumbai City and the locals who reside there as well as the surrounding areas. Otherwise, I would be afraid to speak in front of Saheb (Sharad Pawar). But I firmly believe that riots will break out within communities in the coming year,” he added.
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Reacting to Awhad’s remarks, Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said, “Such remarks are an insult to devotees of Lord Ram. What do they mean by riots, have they decided that riots will take place? One should be sensitive while giving remarks in such a situation.”
NCP leader’s remark comes less than a month after clashes broke out during Ram Navami celebrations in West Bengal’s Howrah district. Similar clashes and flare-ups were also reported in Bihar’s Patna Sharif around religious processions on the occasion of Ram Navami.
In the violence that unfolded in West Bengal around Ram Navami celebrations, several vehicles were set on fire. Rioters also allegedly vandalised public and private properties.
(With inputs from ANI & PTI.
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