BJP Hits Back at Mamata Banerjee’s ‘Divide and Rule’ Allegations Amid Waqf Act Protests

 Kolkata, April 20 — The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday issued a sharp rebuttal to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's accusations of divisive politics, following her remarks on recent violence linked to protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act in the state. The BJP accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader of misleading the public and deflecting responsibility for the deteriorating law and order situation.

The controversy stems from Banerjee’s statement on Saturday, in which she alleged that the BJP and its ideological affiliate, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), were attempting to exploit the unrest in Murshidabad and Bhangar for political gain. She accused them of playing a “dangerous game of divide and rule.”

“West Bengal police were already aware of the rallies. Why, then, were they not stopped in advance? Did mobs, weapons, and stones materialize out of thin air?” questioned BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya in a post on social media platform X.

Malviya criticized the Chief Minister for using her official letterhead to target the BJP and RSS, alleging that she had repeatedly misled the public and failed to take accountability for her government’s shortcomings. “Despite her own police force dismissing claims that the violence was incited by external elements, she continues to push a misleading narrative,” he said, calling for her resignation.

Violent protests erupted last week in Murshidabad and South 24 Parganas’ Bhangar region during demonstrations against the Waqf (Amendment) Act. Clashes with security personnel were reported, with several police vehicles torched and at least three fatalities confirmed.

Mamata Banerjee's Letter and BJP’s Counteroffensive

In an open letter released Saturday, Banerjee accused the BJP and RSS of spreading falsehoods to fuel unrest. She argued that the violence stemmed from deliberate provocation and warned of attempts to sow communal discord. “They are using an unfortunate incident to do the politics of division. This is a dangerous game,” she wrote.

In a marked departure from her earlier communications, Banerjee explicitly named the RSS, stating, “I did not mention the RSS earlier, but this time I am compelled to do so. They are among those responsible for the ugly lies being spread in the state.”

Responding to the Chief Minister’s remarks, West Bengal Leader of the Opposition and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari launched a scathing attack, accusing Banerjee of politicizing the violence under the guise of issuing a peace message.

“In a blatant misuse of her office, Mamata Banerjee is using her Chief Ministerial letterhead to spread divisive rhetoric and advance her vote-bank politics,” Adhikari said in a statement on X. He also accused her of inciting public sentiment against the BJP and RSS by levelling unfounded allegations, including what he termed an “absurd and contradictory” claim about the “ethnic cleansing of Hindus.”

Governor’s Remarks Add to Pressure

The political tension surrounding the protests was further heightened by comments from West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, who condemned the state’s handling of the violence. He described the unrest as a sign of a “cancerous growth of violence” and indirectly criticized the state government’s approach to maintaining public order.

As the political blame game escalates, the situation in West Bengal remains tense, with the Waqf Act protests emerging as a new flashpoint in the broader national debate on religious and political polarisation.