'Don’t Visit Muslim Majority Areas': Suvendu Adhikari Stirs Row, BJP Distances Itself
Suvendu Adhikari stirs row after urging Bengalis to avoid Kashmir, calling it unsafe due to its Muslim majority. His remarks follow Mamata Banerjee’s call to revive tourism post-attack.
West Bengal Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has triggered a major controversy with his provocative comments urging Bengalis to avoid visiting Muslim-majority Kashmir, following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam that left 25 tourists dead — including three from Bengal.
Speaking after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appealed to the people of West Bengal to support Kashmir’s ailing tourism sector, Adhikari issued a stark warning: “No Bengali will visit Kashmir,” he declared. “This is not a political statement — it’s about safety. Don’t visit Muslim-majority areas. Go to Jammu, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, or Odisha instead. These are safer places. Your life comes first.”
His remarks, laced with communal undertones, have drawn sharp criticism across political and civil society circles, with many accusing him of spreading fear and stoking religious divisions during a sensitive time.
#WATCH | Kolkata | On J&K CM Omar Abdullah inviting people of West Bengal to visit J&K, WB LoP and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari says, "... No Bengali will visit Kashmir. I am saying this out of party affiliation, don't visit places where Muslims are in the majority. Go to Jammu if… pic.twitter.com/Fn0IZ3KEQK
— ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2025
Adhikari went on to claim — without substantiating evidence — that attackers in the Pahalgam incident had specifically targeted Hindus. “Bodies were checked for sindoor before being killed,” he alleged, referencing married Hindu women’s traditional vermilion mark. “I’m warning the people of Bengal: protect your women, your children. Don’t fall into traps in the name of tourism.”
The Pahalgam attack on April 22 sent shockwaves across the country, especially in Bengal, after the loss of three tourists from the state — Bitan Adhikari, Sameer Guha, and Manish Ranjan. In the aftermath, Kashmir’s tourism industry, a lifeline for the region, suffered a dramatic decline as bookings were cancelled en masse.
In contrast to Adhikari’s divisive rhetoric, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee struck a message of unity and courage during her meeting with Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah in Kolkata on Thursday. After being formally invited to visit the region, she announced plans to travel to Kashmir post-Durga Puja and encouraged others to do the same.
“There is nothing to be afraid of,” Mamata said. “The people of Jammu and Kashmir are like our brothers and sisters. I urge tourists from Bengal to go and support the region — their economy depends on us.”
VIDEO | After meeting her Jammu and Kashmir counterpart Omar Abdullah in Howrah, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) says,
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 10, 2025
"The people of Jammu and Kashmir are like our brothers and sisters. I have been invited to visit Jammu and Kashmir, and I have accepted the… pic.twitter.com/eHfGB2R2Cl
She also extended solidarity by inviting Kashmiri artists to cultural events in Bengal and urging the Bengali film industry to consider Kashmir as a shooting destination.
But Adhikari’s counter-narrative has quickly become the focal point of political debate, raising questions about communal polarization and the politicization of public safety. His statement — "Don’t go to places where Muslims are in majority" — is being viewed by many as a dangerous escalation in communal rhetoric, particularly in a state with a complex religious and political landscape.
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