Suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Humayun Kabir will lay the foundation stone for a replica of 'Babri Masjid' in West Bengal's Murshidabad on Saturday, a move that has forced agencies to heighten the security in the district. According to Kabir, it is his right to build a mosque, alleging that some people are trying to propagate false propaganda and spread misinformation against him.
Coincidently, Kabir is laying the foundation stone of the replica on a day when the Babri Masjid in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya was demolished around 33 years ago.
"In the High Court judgment, some people tried to stop me. The High Court Justice clearly stated that it is my right and that right should be upheld. They told the state administration and the police administration to maintain law and order, as so many people will come," Kabir told news agency ANI, adding that the ceremony will be laid after Quran recitation for two hours around noon on Saturday.
Kabir's move triggers political row
Kabir had announced his decision to lay a foundation stone of the replica last month, triggering a political row in West Bengal where assembly elections are scheduled to be held next year. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had taken this opportunity to attack the TMC, saying the party is only trying to appease the minorities ahead of the assembly polls.
"This is a law and order issue. Even though the court has allowed it, this is part of a conspiracy by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. She is allowing her TMC MLA Humayun Kabir to do this and make such statements," BJP leader Agnimitra Paul told news agency PTI.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) also slammed the TMC and said Kabir's move is an example of party's 'ideological fluidity'.
However, the TMC kept its distance from Kabir and eventually suspended him from the party. 62-year-old Kabir, who is an MLA from the Debra Assembly constituency, has said that he will float his party and contest in the 2026 assembly elections. "I will expose the chief minister and the TMC's double standards on secular politics. They have fooled minorities and have a tacit understanding with the RSS-BJP," he said recently, criticising West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Crowd gathers in Murshidabad; security tightened
Following Kabir's move to lay foundation stone for Babri Masjid in Murshidabad, a large crowd has started arriving in the district. Earlier, the suspended TMC MLA had claimed that the event would be attended by three lakh people. Seeing the situation, security has been tightened across Murshidabad, with deployment of RAF, district police, and central forces on both sides of the National Highway 12.
Quoting an official, PTI reported nearly 3,000 personnel would be deployed throughout the day, with multiple diversion plans ready if turnout threatens to choke the highway.
