Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, speaking at the Bhimrao Ambedkar Samman Samaroh, delivered a forceful critique of the Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP), accusing both of ignoring the persecution faced by Hindus in Bangladesh, particularly Dalits. He asserted that only the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had consistently stood by Hindus globally, calling it a moral duty to safeguard the lives and rights of Hindus, wherever they may be.
Adityanath highlighted the suffering of Bangladeshi Dalits, alleging that the opposition parties had remained silent despite ongoing atrocities across the border. He claimed that political outfits such as Congress, SP, and the Trinamool Congress had failed to speak out, implying that their silence reflected a pattern of indifference toward the plight of Hindus facing religious persecution. According to Adityanath, “We have to protect every Hindu… Only the BJP raised its voice in their favour.”
In his speech, the Chief Minister invoked a historical comparison between two key Dalit leaders from India’s independence era: Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar and Jogendra Nath Mandal. Referencing a book authored by Rajya Sabha MP and former Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police Brijlal, Adityanath illustrated the stark differences in their paths. Ambedkar, remembered as the architect of the Indian Constitution, remained in India and fought for Dalit rights, while Mandal, who supported the formation of Pakistan, later returned to India disillusioned after witnessing violence against minorities in East Bengal.
According to Adityanath, the decision made by Mandal still haunts the Dalit Hindu community in present-day Bangladesh, where he said many continue to suffer due to religious and social persecution. He described their ongoing hardship as a grim legacy of the partition era and reiterated that the BJP would continue to raise its voice for their protection.
Taking a sharper political tone, Adityanath accused the Samajwadi Party of historical revisionism and disrespecting national icons. He criticized SP for praising Muhammad Ali Jinnah, undermining the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and supporting policies and actions that he likened to glorifying Aurangzeb. He also mentioned the renaming of BR Ambedkar University in Kannauj during a previous administration and credited his government with restoring the original name. “The DNA of Congress and Samajwadi Party is the same,” he said, asserting that both parties prioritized vote-bank politics over national unity and pride.
The timing of Adityanath’s remarks is significant, as they come just ahead of Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14, a national day of remembrance that celebrates the birth of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Born in 1891 in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, Ambedkar played a crucial role in drafting India’s Constitution and is widely revered for championing social justice and the rights of marginalized communities.
Adityanath also used the platform to criticize what he described as attempts to incite unrest using religious pretexts, specifically referring to recent controversies surrounding the Waqf Act. He alleged that these actions were being undertaken to deliberately spread tension and violence across the country.
With communal tensions and debates over minority rights taking center stage in political discourse, Adityanath’s statements are likely to resonate strongly with the BJP’s core support base while intensifying the ideological divide between the ruling party and its opponents in the run-up to key elections.
