On the eve of Ram Navami, security has been stepped up across north Bengal, with police on high alert from Mothabari in Malda to Kharibari in Darjeeling district.

A series of precautionary measures have been rolled out to ensure peaceful celebrations amid a backdrop of recent communal tensions and political allegations.

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Police across various districts and police stations have conducted meetings with major Ram Navami celebration committees, issuing guidelines on the routes of processions, banning DJ sound systems, restricting motorcycle rallies, and laying down additional protocols aimed at maintaining public order.

The heightened alert follows two recent incidents of communal unrest—one in Mothabari and surrounding areas just before Eid, and another in Siliguri’s Singhia Jute area, the day after Eid. Though the police managed to bring both situations under control by arresting more than eight individuals, unease continues to simmer in sensitive pockets like Kharibari and Naxalbari in Darjeeling district.

As a preventive measure, police have restricted several routes in Kharibari and Naxalbari and have begun conducting route marches to assert control and deter any potential flare-ups.

Meanwhile, BJP MLA from English Bazaar Sreerupa Mitra Chowdhury raised an alarm at a press conference, claiming that “militants may attack the Ram Navami procession in Malda and adjoining Murshidabad.” She said she had already written to the Union home minister, urging the deployment of central forces to respond swiftly to any security threats.

In a gesture aimed at promoting communal harmony, a Muslim group named ‘Aatkosi’ in English Bazaar has extended support to Ram Navami organisers. Members of the group have volunteered to distribute water to devotees participating in tomorrow’s rallies.

Organisers estimate that millions will take part in Ram Navami celebrations across the eight districts of North Bengal and even in Sikkim.

However, the Bangiya Hindu Mahamanch (BHM) has expressed displeasure over the restrictions imposed by the police. The BHM president Bikramaditya Mandal criticised what he described as “unnecessary curbs” on procession routes from Mothabari to Kharibari. He also objected to the Siliguri police’s public advisory against the alleged “forced participation” of underage boys and girls in processions with weapons, warning that legal action would be taken in such cases.

Mr Mandal, however, welcomed the excise department’s decision to shut down all liquor outlets across Darjeeling district during the celebrations.

Despite the restrictions, Mandal said lakhs of people—including children—will take to the streets tomorrow, singing the traditional Ram dhun, “Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram”.

Adding a fresh twist to the build-up, a controversy has erupted in Siliguri over the Ram dhun itself. The dispute pits mayor Goutam Deb against the BHM, cantered on the “authentic” version of the devotional hymn.

The row broke out after the mayor installed large public banners across the city featuring Mahatma Gandhi’s image alongside a widely recognised adaptation of the Ram dhun. Many saw this as a symbolic counter to the Ram Navami committees. In response, the BHM launched a parallel campaign, accusing the mayor of distorting the hymn by including the line “Ishwar Allah Tero Naam”—a Gandhian addition aimed at promoting communal harmony.

The BHM activists not only condemned the mayor’s move but also installed their own banners—some placed directly next to the mayor’s—to allow citizens to compare the versions. “The original Ram dhun predates Gandhi’s adaptation and contains no mention of Allah,” BHM declared.

To reinforce their claim, BHM displayed the “true” version of the hymn, which reads:

Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram, Patita Pavan Sita Ram

Sundar Vigrah Megha Shyam, Ganga Tulsi Shaligram

Bhadra Girishwar Sita Ram Jagat Janapriya Sita Ram

Janaki Ramana Sita Ram Jai Jai Raghav Sita Ram

As north Bengal braces for the festivities, all eyes remain on the administration’s ability to ensure peace and order—while a hymn meant to unite, ironically, becomes a flashpoint of division.