Massive Preparations Underway for Controversial Mosque Event by Suspended TMC MLA in West Bengal

Seven Murshidabad-based catering agencies have been contracted to prepare shahi biryani for the massive gathering.

Baharampur:

The location for suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir's foundation-stone ceremony for a 'Babri Masjid-style' mosque in Beldanga, West Bengal's Murshidabad district, transformed into a bustling worksite on Friday. The December 6 event anticipates Saudi clerics' attendance, food preparation for thousands, and implementation of strict security measures.

The Congress-BJP-turned-TMC rebel, who was suspended on Thursday for allegedly repeatedly embarrassing the organization according to the ruling party, appeared undeterred by the political consequences or administrative scrutiny.

Kabir informed reporters that "approximately 3 lakh people will assemble across 25 bighas near Moradighi on Saturday," adding that religious leaders from various states had confirmed their attendance.

"Two qazis from Saudi Arabia will arrive in a special convoy from Kolkata airport in the morning," he stated.

Throughout the extensive venue adjacent to NH-12, the state's sole north-south arterial highway, preparations continued with an intensity typically associated with major political events.

Seven Murshidabad-based catering services have been engaged to prepare shahi biryani for the crowd.

A close associate of the MLA revealed that approximately 40,000 food packets were being prepared for guests and an additional 20,000 for local residents, pushing food expenditure alone beyond Rs 30 lakh.

"The total venue budget will reach approximately Rs 60-70 lakh," he mentioned.

The stage, erected over paddy fields, has become the most prominent symbol of the event's scale.

Measuring 150 feet in length and 80 feet in width, with seating capacity for around 400 guests, it is being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 10 lakh.

Nearly 3,000 volunteers, with 2,000 beginning work early Friday, have been deployed to manage crowd movement, regulate access roads, and prevent congestion on NH-12, according to organizers.

Kabir stated that the ceremony would commence with Quran recitation at 10 am, followed by the foundation event at noon.

"Preparations will begin two hours earlier. By 4 pm, the grounds will be cleared as per police instructions," he added.

The organizers distributed a schedule outlining the day's events: arrival of special guests, including the visiting Saudi clerics, at 8 am; Quran recitation at 10 am; the main ceremony at noon; community meal at 2 pm; and dispersal by 4 pm.

The extensive logistical arrangements have, however, heightened administrative concerns.

Following a Calcutta High Court directive issued Friday, district police conducted discussions with Kabir's team to ensure public order and uninterrupted traffic flow along NH-12.

A senior district police officer revealed that nearly 3,000 personnel would be deployed across Beldanga and Raninagar police station jurisdictions.

"Our primary concern is maintaining national highway traffic flow. Additional forces have arrived from headquarters. Multiple diversion plans have been established," he explained.

Officials acknowledged that the possibility of a large crowd obstructing NH-12 remained the greatest challenge, and that traffic diversions could be implemented depending on crowd density throughout the morning.

For Kabir, whose mosque initiative has generated unease within the TMC, Saturday's gathering represents both a test of mobilization capability and a demonstration of defiance.

"People will attend because this is a historic moment for the region," he stated, dismissing both the political tensions and the extensive security arrangements surrounding the venue.

As the administration prepares for an unprecedented gathering fed by massive quantities of biryani and centered around an imposing stage, the event is poised to test both the district's policing resources and Kabir's political strategy in a region where symbolism, mobilization, and religious signaling frequently intersect.