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Ex-TMC MLA lays foundation for ‘Babri Masjid-style’ mosque in Murshidabad, BJP reacts
Humayun Kabir went ahead with the foundation-laying on December 6 – the anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.
Suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir on Saturday laid the foundation stone for a mosque in Rejinagar, designed to resemble Ayodhya’s Babri Masjid, in an event marked by tight security and politically charged reactions.
Kabir cut a ceremonial ribbon alongside visiting clerics as thousands gathered at the venue from early morning. Slogans of “Nara-e-Takbeer, Allahu Akbar” rang out across the grounds, where a large dais had been set up for the ceremony, reported news agency PTI.
The event unfolded under an extensive security presence, with large contingents of police, Rapid Action Force and central forces deployed across Rejinagar and neighbouring Beldanga to prevent any disturbance.
The administration ramped up security after Kabir announced the ceremony earlier this month.
Kabir was suspended by the Trinamool Congress earlier this week for what the TMC described as “communal politics.” Despite the suspension, he went ahead with the foundation-laying on December 6 – the anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.
BJP slams CM Mamata Banerjee
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sharpened its criticism of the state government soon after the ceremony began. “Mamata Banerjee has decided to polarise Muslims in West Bengal through her MLA Humayun Kabir, while distancing herself from him,” the saffron party alleged.
The West Bengal BJP shared a video on X and wrote a Bengali proverb “Dhori Machh Naa Chhui Paani,” which roughly translates to “getting something done without getting your hands dirty,” reported news agency ANI.
The BJP also questioned the timing of Kabir’s suspension, saying: “Why did she not suspend him earlier when he threatened Hindus by saying Muslims are 70 per cent and Hindus merely 30 per cent in Murshidabad?”
‘Playing with fire’
BJP leader Amit Malviya accused chief minister Mamata Banerjee of deliberately stoking tensions in a region known for its fragile communal balance.
In a post on X, he wrote, “West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is playing with fire. Reports emerging from Beldanga in Murshidabad have triggered serious concern, with Mamata Banerjee using ‘suspended’ TMC MLA Humayun Kabir to polarise Muslim sentiment for political gain.”
Malviya highlighted local accounts claiming that groups of Kabir’s supporters were “carrying bricks to construct what he claims will be a Babri Masjid,” adding that Kabir had allegedly said West Bengal Police were backing him and had provided security.
He also underlined the strategic sensitivity of the area: “Any organised disturbance could lead to a blockade of NH-12, which connects North Bengal to the rest of the state. Such a scenario would have grave implications for law and order and may even impact national security.”
In a legthy post, Malviya said the CM’s handling of the controversy reflected “calculated political intent rather than a commitment to preserving harmony.”
