Trinamool Congress Suspends MLA Humayun Kabir Over Controversial Babri Masjid Replica Plan

Sources indicated that Humayun Kabir will be resigning from the Trinamool on Friday.

New Delhi:

Trinamool Congress suspended MLA Humayun Kabir from the party on Thursday after he announced plans to construct a replica of the Babri Masjid in West Bengal's Murshidabad district this week. Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim stated that the MLA had previously received warnings regarding his statements.

"We observed that one of our MLAs from Murshidabad suddenly announced his intention to build the Babri masjid. Why suddenly Babri masjid? We had already warned him. We adhere to secular principles. Following our party's decision, we are suspending MLA Humayun Kabir," the mayor declared.

Kabir had disclosed his intention to lay the foundation stone for a Babri mosque in Beldanga on December 6. Sources revealed that he will resign from the Trinamool on Friday to establish his own party and proceed with the construction of the Babri mosque replica.

Accusing the BJP of promoting "divisional politics," the Kolkata Mayor questioned, "Why December 6? Why didn't Kabir choose another name? He could build a school or college in Murshidabad. We believe this aligns with the BJP's strategy to divide Bengal along religious lines. The BJP practices divisional politics and has employed such tactics before elections. I believe Kabir has embraced this divisional approach."

Sources earlier informed NDTV that Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee was "extremely displeased" with Kabir's comments. Neither she nor the party would support the masjid initiative - a message that was conveyed to the Bharatpur MLA, sources added.

Bengal Governor Ananda Bose questioned the state government about why Kabir wasn't being arrested if his statements were creating law and order issues. "Reports I've received from the field, intelligence agencies, and local leaders indicate that someone is deliberately attempting to transform Murshidabad into a center of controversy. This will not be permitted. If communal sentiments are provoked, the state and its government will not remain silent observers," he stated.

While Kabir has obtained permission for the December 6 event, officials confirmed that the administration remains on high alert in Murshidabad.

Shortly after his suspension, Kabir withdrew from Banerjee's rally in the India-Bangladesh border district of Murshidabad, which was organized to protest the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.

BJP spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo criticized Kabir, claiming such remarks aim to "create communal tensions".

"I challenge them that if they possess the courage, let them attempt to construct a Babri Masjid-like structure in Murshidabad or anywhere else in West Bengal. Such statements are made solely to generate communal tension. If memorials are established in the names of Babar, Akbar, Shahjahan, or Aurangzeb, the outcome will inevitably result in the same type of dispute that the Babri Masjid encountered," he asserted.