New Delhi

Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday issued an advisory to all states on the maintenance of law and order ahead of Hanuman Jayanti on Thursday.

The MHA advised the states to ensure peaceful observance of the festival and keep track of factors that could disturb communal harmony in society.

"MHA has issued an advisory to all states in preparation for Hanuman Jayanti. The governments are encouraged to ensure the maintenance of law and order, peaceful observance of the festival, and monitoring of any factors that could disturb communal harmony in society," the Home Minister's Office said in a statement.

The development comes on the heels of clashes that erupted in West Bengal and neighbouring Bihar during Ram Navami celebrations. Incidents of violence, arson and stone pelting were reported in these two states around Ram Navami.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 were also enforced in some areas of West Bengal in the wake of the clashes.

Ahead of Hanuman Jayanti, the acting Chief Justice Bench of the Calcutta High Court had also ordered the deployment of central force personnel in some sensitive areas of the state.

The court directed the state to request the assistance of paramilitary forces in the interest of maintaining law and order.

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"If the intelligence department of the state was alert, such violence would not have happened. It also instructed that no political leader will give any provoking statement to the media," the court said.