'Have to protect every Hindu... ': Yogi Adityanath uses partition parallel to slam Congress, SP over Dalit persecution in Bangladesh

NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the Congress and Samajwadi Party , accusing both of maintaining silence on the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh . Addressing the Bhimrao Ambedkar Samman Samaroh, Adityanath said that it was only the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that had consistently stood up for Hindus, especially Dalits facing religious oppression across the border.

“No political party among Congress, Samajwadi Party and TMC raised voices in their (Bangladeshi Hindus) favour. Only the BJP raised its voice in their favour... We have to protect every Hindu...” said Adityanath, stressing the need to safeguard Hindu lives and rights globally.

The chief minister also invoked the legacy of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, drawing a comparison between Ambedkar and Jogendra Nath Mandal, a Dalit leader who supported the creation of Pakistan but later fled the country disillusioned. Citing a book authored by former Uttar Pradesh DGP and Rajya Sabha MP Brijlal, Adityanath explained how the choices made during Partition still haunt the Hindu community in Bangladesh.

“Three years ago, Rajya Sabha MP and former DGP of Uttar Pradesh Brijlal had written a book. That book was based on a comparative study of Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar and two great Dalit warriors during the time of independence. On one side was Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar and on the other side was Yogendra Nath Mandal... Yogendra Nath Mandal had supported Pakistan but he could not live there even for a year. Bangladeshi Hindus are still suffering the punishment for the actions of Yogendra Nath Mandal. All the tortured and oppressed Hindus living in Bangladesh are Dalits,” Adityanath said.

Jogendra Nath Mandal (1904–1968), leader of the Scheduled Castes Federation, became Pakistan’s first Law and Labour Minister but resigned in 1950 and returned to India after witnessing the violent targeting of minorities in East Bengal under the Pakistani regime.

Turning his criticism to contemporary Indian politics, the UP CM accused the Samajwadi Party of praising Muhammad Ali Jinnah, insulting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj , and attempting to erase national pride through symbolic acts like renaming institutions.

“The name of the BR Ambedkar University in Kannauj was also changed, but we worked to bring it back. Even today, these people are doing the same kind of work. The Samajwadi party praised Jinnah, insulted Chhatarpati Shivaji Maharaj and is doing the work of Aurangzeb's glorification board in Maharashtra... The DNA of Congress and Samajwadi Party is the same...” Adityanath stated.

The remarks come ahead of Ambedkar Jayanti, celebrated annually on April 14 to mark the birth of Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (1891–1956), the principal architect of the Indian Constitution and a towering figure in the fight for Dalit rights . Ambedkar was born in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh.

Further targeting the opposition over communal issues, Adityanath alleged that attempts were being made to provoke unrest using the Waqf Act .

“Today, they are trying to incite people in the name of Waqf and want to spread violence in the country,” he said.