UP CM Yogi Adityanath warned against caste divisions, citing violence against Hindus in Bangladesh as a cautionary example. He criticised 'secularists' for their silence on the issue, which includes murders and attacks on homes and temples.
CM Yogi warns against division, slams 'secularists'
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday warned against divisions based on caste, creed, and community, citing Bangladesh's situation as a cautionary example. Attending the 726th birth celebration of Jagatguru Ramanandacharya in Prayagraj, he emphasised that such divisions can lead to destruction, just like what's happening in Bangladesh, where Hindus are facing violence. "Division based on caste, creed and community will destroy us exactly as we see in Bangladesh," he said.
He further took a jab at "so-called secularists" and mocked them for their silence on the repeated victims of atrocities in the neighbouring country. "Nobody is talking of Bangladesh; those so-called secularists who try to break the Hindu community are quiet on the Bangladesh issue," said the CM. "It's like their mouths have been shut with fevicol, or somebody put a tape on their mouth. Not a single word is coming out of their mouths," he mocked.
During his address, he also remembered the Jagadguru Ramanandacharya, saying, "700 years ago, Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Bhagwan had called for unity among all communities. He said that every person had the right to take refuge in God. He took disciples of different castes to unite the society."
Violence against minorities in Bangladesh
Meanwhile, in December 2025 alone, at least 51 incidents of violence were reported in Bangladesh. These included 10 murders, 10 cases of theft and robbery, 23 incidents involving the occupation of homes, business establishments, temples and land, looting and arson, four cases of arrest and torture on false allegations of religious defamation and being "agents of RAW", one attempted rape, and three incidents of physical assault, the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council said in a statement.
Incidents in January
The trend of violence has continued into the first week of January this year. On January 3, businessman Khokan Chandra Das was hacked and set on fire, leading to his death in Shariatpur.
On the same day at dawn, the family of Milan Das in Ward No. 4 of Amuchia Union under Boalkhali Upazila in Chattogram was held hostage during a robbery.
A similar incident occurred the same day at Sanu Das's home in Homna, Cumilla, from which 10 bhori of gold ornaments, 12 bhori of silver, and cash totalling 20,000 taka were looted, the statement said.
Another incident involving a Hindu youth in Bangladesh was reported on January 7, a man identified as Mithun Sarkar, died after he was chased by miscreants who claimed he was a suspect of theft. While he was being chased, Sarkar was forced to jump into a water body, where he drowned and died.
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