First they light fire, then extinguish it: BJP's Jaiveer Singh slams CM Banerjee over meeting with Muslims on Waqf Act

Lucknow, April 15 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Tourism Minister and BJP leader Jaiveer Singh on Tuesday criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for planning to meet Muslim religious leaders regarding the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025, accusing her of stoking tensions for political gain.

Speaking to IANS, Jaiveer Singh said, “She is setting the fire herself and then trying to extinguish it."

“Why is it that incidents of violence or protests around the Waqf Act only arise in states ruled by INDIA Bloc leaders or the Opposition," he added.

CM Banerjee is scheduled to meet imams, muezzins, and Muslim intellectuals from across West Bengal on April 16 to discuss concerns related to the Waqf Act.

The meeting has sparked political backlash, with BJP leaders accusing her of minority appeasement.

Singh also reacted to a recent comment made by Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Digvijaya Singh, who questioned the administration's decision to allow religious processions with DJ systems near mosques, citing the recent stone-pelting incident in Guna, Madhya Pradesh.

“There are traditional ways of conducting processions,” Jaiveer Singh said.

“The administration's approval must be given after seeing all the arrangements. But, whatever is happening is the result of the politics of Muslim appeasement in West Bengal."

He further slammed Samajwadi Party’s Rajya Sabha MP, Ramji Lal Suman, for making inflammatory remarks during a gathering in Agra.

Suman warned the Karni Sena ahead of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s visit to Agra on April 19, claiming a “battlefield” would be ready. He also referred to the Karni Sena as a “fake army” and questioned their lineage in provocative terms. He further said that when you say that Muslims have Babar's DNA, then whose DNA is in you?

“Where is Agra — Pakistan or China?” Singh responded.

“Akhilesh Yadav is welcome to visit any place, but such statements reveal a deliberate political conspiracy.”

He accused Yadav of using leaders like Suman to polarise voters.

“Akhilesh knows Muslims are leaning towards the Congress, and with no alliance in sight in Uttar Pradesh, he’s resorting to such tactics. He also sees Mayawati losing Dalit support and is trying to win them over by targeting Sanatan Dharma through these controversial remarks," he concluded.

--IANS

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