CM Yogi Adityanath lashes out at Mamata Banerjee for Murshidabad violence: 'Dalit Hindus being targeted'

Adityanath criticised the TMC government for a "complete breakdown of law and order".

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Sunday, launched a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the recent outbreak of violence in Murshidabad, claiming that Dalit Hindus were being targeted under the pretext of opposing the Waqf (Amendment) Act.

Speaking at the Baba Saheb Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Samman Abhiyaan event in Lucknow, Adityanath accused the Mamata Banerjee administration of allowing communal tensions to linger and alleged that political opponents were instigating unrest to derail legal action against illegal Waqf land occupation.

“Three Hindus, including a father and son, were dragged out of their homes and killed in Murshidabad. These victims were not just Hindus — they were Dalits, the most deprived sections of society, who stand to benefit most from the amended Waqf law,” the Chief Minister lashed out.

He also blamed the violence on "land mafia" allegedly shielded by political parties resisting the new law. “Those opposing the amendment have no legitimate documents, no revenue records, and are using violence as a tool to stall government action,” he added.

Adityanath criticised the TMC government for a "complete breakdown of law and order" and slammed Opposition parties like the Congress and Samajwadi Party for maintaining silence over the killings. “Parties that champion social justice are turning a blind eye to the murder of Dalit Hindus. Their silence is telling,” he said.

He also linked the unrest in Murshidabad to what he described as a broader political agenda to prevent land reforms that could empower the poor. “If Dalits and the deprived get legal ownership of land, the vote-bank politics of these parties will collapse. That’s why they are provoking violence,” he alleged.

Adityanath further invoked the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, reiterating the BJP’s stance on providing refuge to persecuted minorities, particularly Hindus, from neighbouring countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan. He accused Opposition parties of failing to support these communities.

Referring to a book by BJP MP and former Uttar Pradesh DGP Brij Lal, Adityanath drew a contrast between Dr B.R. Ambedkar and Jogendra Nath Mandal — a Pakistan supporter during Partition — and claimed Mandal’s choices had left Dalit Hindus in Bangladesh vulnerable to decades of persecution.

Bengal's Murshidabad district, particularly in Muslim-majority areas such as Suti, Dhulian, Jangipur and Shamsherganj, has been rocked by violent protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act in recent days.

According to BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, the violence has triggered an exodus, with nearly 400 residents reportedly fleeing Dhulian.

The initial investigation into the violence has revealed the possible involvement of alleged Bangladeshi miscreants, government sources told news agency ANI on Sunday. The Union Home Ministry has been informed about the suspected cross-border connection, they added.