'Keep kids away from brandishing arms at Ram Navami processions'

Kolkata: West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights has directed the administration of all the 23 districts to take necessary measures to keep children away from flashing arms during Ram Navami processions across the state.

The Commission wrote to all the District Magistrates directing that "children taking part in Ram Navami processions should not carry arms."

Administration of each district will also have to submit "a status report in this connection within a week of Ram Navami" to the Commission.

According to experts in child psychology, the proactive step taken by the Commission will be immensely beneficial as it would keep children away from carrying arms that "leaves a deep impact on a child's psychology."

"The tendency of imitating others is more or less present in human beings of all ages. But we have to be more cautious when the matter is related to children as they easily pick up what they see others doing. So it would not only be harmful to them who will be carrying arms in the processions, it would also leave a deep impact on other children who get to watch this happen even if on Television screens.

Thus, it is always good to keep children away from such acts," said a psychologist.

It may be mentioned that the Commission has written to all district authorities to take necessary steps in order to check recurrence of last year's incidents when children were found carrying swords during Ram Navami processions held in certain parts of the state.

Small girls clad in white kurtas and saffron dupattas carrying swords while taking part in Ram Navami processions had gone viral on social media and was widely criticised by a large section of people, intellectuals and leaders of different political parties.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had criticised the move of awarding swords to young girls after the video footages and photographs went viral last year. She had said the processions with swords were organised to create an atmosphere of fear as they (BJP) were unaware of the culture and tradition of Bengal.

Ram Navami has been celebrated in Bengal for decades but children carrying arms during processions were a rare sight.

Police have made all necessary preparations to ensure that no untoward incident takes place during Ram Navami. At the same time, precautionary measures have also been taken to keep children away from brandishing arms. The administration will be keeping a close watch on the processions, said an official.