‘You are against Muslims, but in Saudi….’: Mamata Banerjee's fresh salvo at PM Narendra Modi over Waqf Amendment Act

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee took a veiled jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing them of being "against Muslims" but receiving their hospitality in West Asian countries.

"You are against Muslims, but in Saudi Arabia, you meet Muslims... If you go to Dubai, UAE, whose hospitality do you take there... You say one thing in your country and another outside," ANI quoted Banerjee as saying while addressing the gathering in a meeting with Muslim clerics.

She further appealed to the INDIA bloc to "stay united and fight together" against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 whose passage has witnessed strong objections and protests from the Opposition.

"I will appeal to the INDIA bloc: let us stay united and fight together courageously. This is not a personal matter; it will affect everyone. Today, it is happening against you. Tomorrow, it will be against someone else. Now they want to bring UCC," Banerjee added.

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West Bengal Police forms SIT to probe Murshidabad violence

Banerjee's remarks have come amid tensions in West Bengal's Murshidabad, where three people were killed in the violence. The state police has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incidents of violence.

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According to a PTI report, the SIT comprises an Additional Superintendent of Police (Intelligence Branch), two Deputy Superintendents -- one from the Counter Insurgency Force (CIF) and the other from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) -- five inspectors (including four from the CID and one from Traffic Police), and the in-charge officer of the Cyber Crime Police Station under Sundarban Police District.

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Violence broke out in Murshidabad during a protest of the Muslim community against the Waqf Amendment Act on April 11. The protests turned violent, resulting in the death of a father-son duo and injuries to several others, with widespread property damage. One person was also killed in the police firing.

(With PTI, ANI inputs)