Suspended TMC MLA sparks political storm as he lays ‘Babri Masjid-Style’ mosque stone in Murshidabad
Tension gripped Murshidabad on Saturday as suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir laid the foundation stone for a Babri Masjid-style mosque. He acted on a date he chose deliberately—the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition on December 6, 1992. He moved early in the day and set the tone with Quran recitation, and thousands soon gathered under tight security.
Kabir invited two clerics from Saudi Arabia. Supporters carried bricks on their heads. Slogans filled the air. Meanwhile, the administration turned Beldanga into a fortress. Riot police and central forces guarded the area, expecting unrest. Murshidabad, a district with a 67% Muslim population, has seen repeated communal tension. In April, protests over the Waqf bill killed five people. So officials moved cautiously to avoid fresh violence.
Organisers set up a massive crowd-management plan. They deployed 3,000 volunteers. They cleared roads, kept NH-12 open and arranged a huge feast. They hired seven caterers to cook shahi biryani for nearly 60,000 people—guests and locals included. A close aide claimed the food alone cost ₹30 lakh, while the total event budget crossed ₹70 lakh.
Kabir, suspended from the TMC earlier this week, had already drawn political fire for this project. The BJP attacked him, saying he was trying to stoke religious tension. The matter even reached the Calcutta High Court. The court declined to block the construction but asked the state to ensure peace.
Kabir insisted he faced conspiracies meant to sabotage the event. Yet he praised the police and district administration for cooperating. His long political journey—from Congress to BJP to TMC—added fuel to the controversy. Meanwhile, the TMC distanced itself and launched Samhati Diwas, a counter-message for communal unity.
Still, criticism intensified. BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya alleged that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was using Kabir to polarise voters ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. He said the mosque plan was “designed to inflame emotions” and push Bengal towards turmoil. Former state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh echoed this and accused the TMC of creating tension for political gain. He said that with the Ram Mandir now a reality, “it is time to forget the Babri Masjid.”
The TMC dismissed these charges. Party leaders claimed Kabir was actually helping the BJP and acting as its agent to instigate unrest. They insisted that Murshidabad’s residents value peace and reject any attempt to disturb harmony.
Murshidabad now sits at a crossroads. The event ended without major violence, but political heat remains high. As both major parties trade accusations, the district braces for what may follow in the run-up to the 2026 elections.
