Amid protests in Assam and West Bengal against the Waqf legislation, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath lashed out at the opposition and claimed the violence was being "instigated" following the passage of the Bill.
On April 5, President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which was passed by Parliament earlier that week after heated debates in both Houses. Multiple entities have moved the Supreme Court, challenging the constitutional validity of the legislation.
Reacting strongly to the violence in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, Adityanath said, "Three Hindus were dragged out of their homes and killed. Who are all these? These are Dalits, the deprived and the poor," he said.
"This is the same country where lakhs of acres of land have been occupied in the name of Waqf. They (land occupiers) have no papers and no revenue records. Ever since the Waqf (Amendment) Bill was passed and action is being taken, violence is being instigated," he claimed.
Adityanath said if "this land comes back in the revenue records", the poor would be at an advantage.
"The government will make good flats there and make them available (to people). They (opposition parties) fear that if this happens, then their vote bank and politics of misleading people will end in perpetuity," Adityanth said.
At least three people, including a father-son duo, were killed and several others injured after protests against the Waqf Act turned violent in Suti and Samserganj blocks of the Muslim-majority Murshidabad district. Hundreds of people also started to flee from those areas since violence erupted on Friday. Police arrested 150 people till Saturday night in connection with the violence.
Prohibitory orders under section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) have been imposed in the violence-hit areas, and the internet has been suspended. BSF personnel have been deployed in strife-hit areas of Murshidabad.
Adityanath also lashed out at the opposition for their "silence" over the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh. He stressed that the BJP was committed to protecting every Hindu and that is why the Citizenship (Amendment) Act was enacted.
"It was opposed by the Congress and the Samajwadi Party who strive to mislead people. These are the same parties that snatch the rights of the exploited and deprived at the grassroots," he added.
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi took forward the task of granting Indian citizenship to the deprived and downtrodden Hindus of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan under CAA, these people (opposition) started agitations, arson and vandalism, the chief minister said.
But the government faced them firmly and did its work, he added.
"If there is a Hindu suffering in Pakistan, Bangladesh or anywhere in the world, he will ultimately be forced to take refuge in India. Parties like the Congress, SP and TMC kept them as refugees, but the BJP adopted them." Accusing the opposition of resorting to propaganda techniques, Adityanath referred to a book by Rajya Sabha MP and former Uttar Pradesh police chief Brij Lal to said that two great Dalit warriors were discussed in it.
It was mentioned in the book that Bhimrao Ambedkar had said that "our beginning and end will be as an Indian", he said.
"On the other hand was Yogendra Nath Mandal (undivided Pakistan's first law minister)... He had supported Pakistan but could not live there for long. Bangladeshi Hindus are still suffering for Mandal's actions." "The tortured and oppressed Hindus in Bangladesh are Dalits. Neither the Congress, SP nor Mamata Banerjee raised their voice in their favour. Only the BJP did so," he added.
Adityanath alleged the Congress did not allow Ambedkar's last rites to take place in Delhi and also denied him a memorial. "They (apparently pointing towards the Congress) made Ambedkar lose elections." Addressing a workshop held here as part of 'Bharat Ratna' Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Samman Samaroh, the Uttar Pradesh CM said PM Modi honoured the architect of Constitution by developing a Panchteerth for him. "Be it Congress, SP, TMC or Left parties, all of them conspired against Babasaheb and the pioneers of social justice," he added.
He also accused the Congress and SP of making statements against Chhatrapati Shivaji and glorifying Aurangzeb.
"These people have been insulting the great men who are symbols of social justice. In Maharashtra, they make statements against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and glorify Aurangzeb. Three years ago, when we were organising a Run for Unity in the state on the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the SP chief was glorifying Jinnah, the destroyer of India.
"When it comes to honouring the great men of India, these people spread some propaganda, which can be used to divide the society. Insulting Chhatrapati Shivaji, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, Maharana Pratap, Maharana Sanga is part of the same series, which the DNA of Congress and SP has been doing till now," Adityanath said.
He claimed that during the Lok Sabha polls, the opposition leaders printed "fake" booklets Constitution of India written on top to create an illusion.
"Until we present facts, those who have been misleading people to serve their own political interests will continue to exploit the Dalits and the deprived," said Adityanath.
Giving details of the campaign launched on the eve of Ambedkar's birth anniversary, he said, "Wherever there is a statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar, wherever there is a park in his name, the workers of the BJP, public representatives and government officials are joining the special cleanliness programme there."
"Our problem is that we are not able to repeat those things again and again, we try for some time to reach the people who have got the facility and then that effort stops," he said, adding this will be expanded in the campaign.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who was also present on the occasion, said Baba Saheb gave the right to vote to the deprived and backward.
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