Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Apr 16: Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) MP and party spokesperson Naresh Mhaske launched a blistering attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday, demanding her government’s dismissal over what he termed as repeated communal attacks targeting Hindu families in the state.

Addressing a press conference, Mhaske accused the Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government of gross negligence and communal appeasement. “Hindus are being hounded and terrorised in Bengal. In Murshidabad, mobs stormed a Hindu home, killed family members in front of the police, and set their property ablaze. This is state-sponsored failure,” he alleged.

Taking a sharp dig at Mamata Banerjee, he went on to liken her to 26/11 terror accused Tahawwur Rana, coining the name “Mamata Rana” to criticise her alleged silence. “To protect her Muslim vote bank, Mamata Banerjee has gone blind to justice,” he said.

Mhaske announced that a Shiv Sena delegation would visit Bengal soon to meet affected families and assess the ground situation. He further questioned the silence of Uddhav Thackeray and other INDIA bloc leaders on the issue, saying they were “mute spectators out of fear of Mamata.”

He also invoked past incidents of violence in Bengal, including the 2018 Ram Navami clashes and election-related unrest, to underline a “pattern of communal appeasement.”

Turning the spotlight inward, Mhaske took aim at the Shiv Sena (UBT), accusing it of losing ideological direction. “Eknath Shinde is carrying forward Balasaheb Thackeray’s true legacy. On the other hand, Uddhav Thackeray’s faction has become so irrelevant they now use AI to make Balasaheb speak,” he quipped.

Taking a swipe at Sanjay Raut, he said, “He’s like a burning ember – all smoke, no fire.”

Mhaske’s comments have sparked political ripples, especially his comparison of Mamata Banerjee to a 26/11 accused, drawing sharp criticism from the opposition even as tensions remain high over the alleged communal unrest in Bengal.