Bengal's New 'Babri Mosque' Hosts First Friday Prayers Amid Political Tensions

The proposed 'Babri' mosque in Murshidabad, West Bengal, is set to host its inaugural Friday prayers today, marking a significant moment in regional minority politics ahead of upcoming state elections.

Extensive preparations are taking place in Beldanga, where suspended Trinamool MLA Humayun Kabir laid the foundation stone last Saturday. Kabir was recently suspended by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's party following this controversial initiative.

Friday prayers, known as Jumu'ah namaz, hold special importance in Islamic tradition and typically attract larger gatherings than regular daily prayers. Since early morning, hundreds of Muslim faithful have already assembled at the mosque site.

The organizers have made arrangements to provide free meals for approximately one thousand attendees following the prayers. Volunteers are currently preparing khichdi on-site, with vegetable preparation underway. Stacks of donated bricks for the mosque's construction are visible nearby.

"We're preparing to feed a thousand people at no cost. We've brought 150 kilograms of rice and other necessary ingredients," explained one of the cooking team members. Another volunteer added, "Providing this food is our way of performing a good deed," while suggesting the actual turnout might reach thousands.

This 'Babri' mosque is reportedly being designed as a replica of the historic 16th-century Babri Masjid that was demolished in Ayodhya in 1992, an event that profoundly transformed India's political landscape.

Kabir proposed constructing a mosque with the same name on December 6, coinciding with the anniversary of the Ayodhya incident, as part of a broader strategy to consolidate minority votes across the state.

The suspended legislator has publicly declared his intention to "finish" Banerjee's Muslim vote bank and plans to field candidates in 135 of the state's 294 assembly constituencies in the 2026 elections. Positioning himself as a potential "kingmaker" in Bengal politics, Kabir has announced the formation of a new political party. He has also expressed interest in forming an alliance with Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM, though the latter has thus far declined such proposals.

The Trinamool Congress justified Kabir's suspension by emphasizing their commitment to "secular principles," while the BJP has characterized the mosque project as an attempt to provoke communal tensions.

Muslims represent a crucial voting bloc for the Trinamool Congress, which has been working to counter the BJP's growing influence in the state. Despite these challenges, Trinamool secured a commanding two-thirds majority in the 2021 state elections.