New Delhi: Editorials on English newspapers in the last few days delivered scathing criticism of communal violence during and after Ram Navami celebrations in parts of the country, almost all of them noting how differences between communities were being exploited for political gains.While some called for greater alertness from police, others decried how participants carried arms and paid little attention to the law of the land.‘Keeping peace’On April 4, Times of India noted that such violence sows seeds of mistrust in public life. “The costs keep piling up long after other events take over the headlines,” it says.The editorial cites the report titled ‘Routes of Wrath: Weaponising Religious Processions‘, which charts the importance of the paths that religious processions take in how communal tension foments into violence.The editorial said that the “most important catalyst for violence is whether processions respect police presence.” It cited TOI reports on trouble at Howrah in Bengal to note that the police cordon was breached.Police are also reluctant to crackdown on deviations from pre-arranged routes because such moves can come laden with political meaning. Citing how Telangana police quelled tensions in 2022, the editorial calls for unambiguous law and order messaging.‘Learn from Ram Navami clashes’Hindustan Times, in an editorial, sought to establish that both Bihar and Bengal – which saw violence – were ruled by parties opposed to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and thus the flare-ups stoked a political blame game between the state government and the BJP.“This is an avoidable eventuality. On Ram Navami, clashes were also reported from Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka, indicating that these were localised breaches in law and order, and should be treated as such,” the paper said.Like TOI, HT called on police to rise above “partisan rancour shrouding these incidents,” and ensure that those responsible for the violence are booked without fear or favour.The editorial places importance on authority and administration in maintaining communal amity and not letting tensions get worse through rumours, slogans and gestures.It also urges political parties to take a step back from such efforts too and notes that the general elections are almost upon us.“In the run-up to the general elections next year, India is likely to see a surge in efforts to create communal rifts and engineer polarisation for politically expedient reasons, especially by fringe elements and leaders. Such attempts, however, weaken the country’s social fabric,” the editorial says.Don’t let religious processions become flashpointsThe Tribune‘s editorial called the Ram Navami clashes in Bengal and Bihar “a virtual repeat of the disturbances that had scorched Delhi’s Jahangirpuri and Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone amid Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti festivities in April last year.”The editorial decries the fact that no lessons appear to have been learned from that time.This essay too calls for due diligence from state authorities and strict adherence to earmarked routes.“No matter which community resorts to provocation, the police have to act fast to prevent the situation from spinning out of control. Pre-emptive measures, instead of a reactive approach, are a must to maintain peace and communal harmony,” the editorial says.The editorial is sharp in its takedown of political parties using communal tensions as opportunities to score points ahead of the general election next year.“This regrettable one-upmanship is a case of misplaced priorities,” it says.“Equally important is Centre-state coordination to crack down on hate-mongers and mischief-makers. At stake are the country’s secular credentials, which take a hit whenever festivities are marred by hostilities,” the editorial adds.‘Stop politicising religious festivals’Deccan Herald‘s editorial also observed how normal it had become for communal violence to break out on days of religious importance.The editorial scathingly noted that the incidents of Ram Navami violence this year were not accidents but “situations previously planned and consciously executed.”“It is also no accident that most of those at the receiving end of violence were members of the minority community. The violence continued after the festival, and they can only be called communal violence,” it said.This editorial also criticised how arms were openly carried during the processions.“There is no reason why members of a religious procession should be armed. That makes it clear that such processions are held with an intention to create trouble,” it said.Like the other editorials, this one too observed how pre-determined routes are hardly adhered to.With powerful words, the editorial observed that, “Even the nature of divinity is sought to be changed, and aggressive and warlike deities are being projected as the face of the religion.”This was happening because religion is politicised and the conflict and divisions among people are used for political ends, it noted.