‘Dangerous, divisive’: Himanta slams Mamata’s ‘Hindus safe because of me’ claim

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on April 28 criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after she allegedly claimed that Hindus in Bengal are safe from a particular community because of her.

Sarma, posting on X (formerly Twitter), called the remark "outright dangerous, divisive and communal," adding that such a statement was wholly unbecoming of a sitting Chief Minister.

"Bengal needs to be saved, now," Sarma wrote, warning that the comment pointed to a deeper crisis in how the state is being governed.

Sarma argued that Banerjee's claim — that people are safe only due to her personal intervention — amounted to an admission of administrative failure rather than a display of strength. He said the remark exposed the reality on the ground in Bengal, suggesting that demographic shifts were visibly altering what he called the state's once-prosperous character.

The Assam CM also used the occasion to renew his broader political offensive against the ruling Trinamool Congress, alleging that the party had reduced Bengal to "a hub of appeasement politics, riots, syndicate rule, and violence." He cited the Sandeshkhali incident — where local women had alleged sexual exploitation and land-grabbing by Trinamool-linked figures — as emblematic of the situation.

"A climate of fear prevails among ordinary people today," Sarma wrote, adding that the people of the state were exhausted by what he termed Trinamool's "ultimate misrule."

Sarma, one of the Bharatiya Janata Party's most prominent voices in eastern India, signalled that the party is eyeing the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections as the moment to unseat Banerjee's government. "This fear will end in 2026 itself," he said. "The people of Bengal will bring this change. This is not just a slogan, it is our resolve."

Earlier in the day, the Trinamool Congress hit back at the BJP over a social media post that read “Bengal Good Bye” alongside a graphic of Banerjee exiting office after the results on May 4. The party described the message as an “open threat” and accused the BJP of attempting to “dismantle” the state’s cultural and linguistic identity.

In its response on X, the TMC repeated its charge that the BJP is “Bangla-Birodhi”, alleging efforts to homogenise the population.

The exchange comes amid intensifying rhetoric ahead of the second phase of polling scheduled for April 29. Vote counting will take place on May 4.

The first phase recorded a turnout of 93.19 per cent. The Trinamool Congress is seeking a fourth consecutive term, while the BJP aims to build on its previous performance, when it secured 77 seats in the 2021 Assembly elections.