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TMC suspends MLA Humayun Kabir over Babri Masjid replica controversy in Bengal
Humayun Kabir said that he would continue with the foundation stone on December 6 and also launch his own party later this month
Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Thursday suspended party legislator Humayun Kabir, who had triggered a controversy by saying that he would lay the foundation stone of a Babri Masjid replica in Murshidabad district of West Bengal.
“We don’t believe in communal politics. Kabir was warned thrice in the past by the party’s disciplinary committee. But now he has again done this. With the consent of the party’s chairperson and the national general secretary, the party is suspending him. He will have no relation with the party,” Kolkata’s mayor and state minister Firhad Hakim said.
The Bharatpur Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) had said that he would lay the foundation stone of a Babri Masjid replica on December 6.
“Kabir is a resident of Rejinagar and the MLA of Bharatpur. Then why is he planning to build a masjid in Beldanga? It is because Beldanga is communally sensitive, and it would be easier to trigger a riot. This would help the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) before the elections,” said Hakim.
Kabir, however, said that he would continue with the foundation stone on December 6 and also launch his own party later this month. He had gone to attend a rally of Mamata Banerjee at Berhampore in Murshidabad but left midway after receiving the news of his suspension.
“I welcome the decision. This is a trivial matter as I wasn’t holding any post. They had suspended me earlier too. I will resign from the party tomorrow itself and launch my own political party on December 12. The TMC will have to pay for this getting ousted from power. The foundation stone will be laid on December 6. I will fight both with the BJP and the TMC in the coming election,” Kabir said.
TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, without naming anyone, said that the BJP was keeping in touch with some TMC leaders and “funding to spread communal tension” ahead of the elections.
“The BJP is keeping in touch with some of our leaders. They are being funded to spread communal tension. And then they will blame the TMC. This won’t happen. I don’t want fresh riots in Murshidabad, which will allow the NIA to arrest some of your brothers. Don’t allow any riots. There are some who take money and serve the BJP before the elections. They are your enemies and also of the nation,” she said.
The BJP hit back, saying that the entire country was watching how West Bengal was gradually turning into West Bangladesh.
“The entire country will watch how West Bengal is going to turn into West Bangladesh. TMC MLA has openly made communal remarks against Hindus. The entire country is against this. Do they want to bring back Babur’s rule?” state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said.
