Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], April 22 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the recent violence in the State's Murhidabad district, accusing her of appeasement politics under the guise of secularism.

Speaking to ANI on Tuesday, Dhami said, 'The kind of issues that are happening in Bengal, the whole country is agitated...in the name of secularism, the kind of appeasement politics Mamata Banerjee is doing, reminds us of 1947-48.'

He further added, 'They seem to have forgotten that today's India is not the India of 1947. Soon, people will throw away Mamata Banerjee.'

On Monday, Odisha Police arrested six people linked to the violence in Murshidabad district. The accused were nabbed from their hideout in Jharsuguda.

'Six persons have been arrested from their hideout in Jharsuguda. They were involved in the arson and rioting cases in Jafrabad and Betbona villages in Samserganj, Jangipur Police District in Murshidabad, and had escaped to Odisha after the incident,' the official said.

Police are also verifying if the arrested individuals were involved in the double murder case reported in Murshidabad.

BJP leader Agnimitra Paul expressed serious concern over the violence, calling it a planned act of 'ethnic cleansing' allegedly carried out with the support of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and local leaders.

Speaking to ANI, she said, 'NCW and NHRC are submitting their reports on the ground reality in Murshidabad, to the Governor. The Hindus of West Bengal are in a very scary situation. This is not a riot, it is a very planned act, under the leadership of local leaders and with the support of Mamata Banerjee... We want an investigation by the NIA so that the truth comes out... This is ethnic cleansing and is going on in a very planned way.'

The violence began on April 11 in the Muslim-majority Murshidabad district during a protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Act. The protest turned violent, leading to the deaths of two people, injuries to several others, and property damage. The unrest forced thousands to flee their homes.

The protests later spread to other districts, including Malda, South 24 Parganas, and Hooghly, and involved arson, stone-pelting, and road blockades. Following the violence, many families migrated to Jharkhand's Pakur district, while others are staying in relief camps in Malda.

Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee on Saturday issued a public appeal urging people to maintain peace and unity. She accused the BJP and affiliated organisations, such as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), of exploiting the incident for political gain. In an open letter, Banerjee said certain groups were 'using the backdrop of an unfortunate incident' to promote a divisive agenda. (ANI)