Controversy Erupts as Suspended Trinamool MLA Plans Babri Masjid-Style Mosque in West Bengal

The Trinamool Congress has distanced itself from the controversial event and suspended Humayun Kabir from the party.

New Delhi:

Suspended Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir is set to lay the foundation stone for a 'Babri Masjid-style' mosque in Beldanga, Murshidabad, West Bengal today, creating significant controversy.

According to Kabir, the ceremony will commence at 10 am with Quran recitation, followed by the foundation stone-laying at noon. The police administration has permitted the suspended legislator to conduct the event "peacefully" after the Calcutta High Court declined to intervene. Several Saudi clerics are expected to attend. Kabir has stated that "nearly 3 lakh people will gather across 25 bighas near Moradighi on Saturday," adding that religious leaders from multiple states have confirmed their attendance, and seven Murshidabad-based catering services have been hired to prepare 'shahi biryani' for attendees.

A close associate of the MLA revealed that approximately 40,000 food packets are being prepared for guests and an additional 20,000 for local residents, pushing food expenditures alone beyond Rs 30 lakh. The organizers have deployed nearly 3,000 volunteers to manage crowd movement, regulate access roads, and prevent congestion on NH-12.

The planned ceremony has provoked strong opposition from the BJP.

BJP leader Arjun Singh issued a warning to Kabir, stating that he would "send him to Babur" if the legislator proceeded with his plan to lay the foundation stone of a Babri mosque replica. "If Kabir tries to build a Babri Masjid here, I will send him to Babur (Mughal emperor). There will be no foundation-laying ceremony. It is all drama," Singh declared.

Emphasizing that India is a "Hindu-majority nation," Singh added, "One can build a mosque, but using the name of 'Babri' insults the Constitution."

Kabir had previously announced his intention to lay the foundation stone of a Babri mosque in Beldanga on December 6 - the anniversary of its demolition. The Trinamool Congress promptly distanced itself from the event and suspended Kabir earlier this week, with party leader and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim revealing that the MLA had been "warned" about his statements previously.

"We noticed that one of our MLAs from Murshidabad suddenly declared that he would build the Babri masjid. Why suddenly Babri masjid? We already warned him. We believe in secular theory. As per the decision of our party, we are suspending MLA Humayun Kabir," the mayor explained.

In defiance, Kabir subsequently announced that he would resign as MLA, establish his own political party later this month, and proceed with building a replica of the Babri mosque.

"Trinamool and its leaders will realise the pain for suspending me in the near future. I will tender my resignation from the MLA post on December 17. I will form my own party on December 22. Our party will field its candidates in 135 seats out of 294 seats in the assembly election," he stated.