Bhubaneswar: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday sharply criticised the BJP over an incident in Odisha where Titlagarh MLA Nabin Kumar Jain allegedly fired shots in the air during a Ram Navami procession, accusing the saffron party of using religious events to promote violence and polarisation.
In a strongly worded statement posted on X, the TMC said: “Odisha used to be a peaceful state. Then @BJP4India happened. Their Titlagarh MLA, Nabin Kumar Jain, fired shots during a Rama Navami procession. BJP uses faith as an excuse to vent their violent, lumpen tendencies.”
It further invoked Lord Rama’s ideals, stating, “Lord Rama is the embodiment of courage, sacrifice, restraint, and tolerance, the Maryada Purushottam. But BJP has reduced Him to an avenue for their needless sabre-rattling, muscle-flexing, and creating tension.”
The party warned that the BJP was attempting to bring similar “Poriborton” (change) to West Bengal, turning festivals into flashpoints. “The people of Bengal will never allow this culture of violence and polarisation to take root in our soil,” the TMC asserted.
Earlier this month, the BJP had flagged off 5,000-km ‘Poriborton Yatra’ from multiple districts to revive momentum, sharpen anti-incumbency against the TMC and test its rebuilt grassroots machinery ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls.
The Odisha Incident
The controversy erupted after videos surfaced showing the BJP MLA firing blank rounds from a pistol during a Ram Navami shobha yatra in Titlagarh town on March 27 evening. He was seen firing a blank from a .32 bore pistol at Shastri Chhak and another round of blanks near Old Bank Chaak later. As the video of the celebratory firing went viral, Balangir SP Abhilash G on Sunday suspended his personal security officer (PSO) Premanand Nag for allegedly allowing the MLA to use his service pistol during the event. An inquiry has also been ordered into the matter.
Jain, on the other hand, claimed that it was a toy gun which police have dismissed.
