New Delhi : Tension prevailed in Bengal’s communally sensitive Murshidabad on Saturday as suspended Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir laid the foundation stone for a Babri Masjid-style mosque amid tight security. A recitation of the Quran was held at noon, followed by the foundation stone-laying ceremony, which Kabir claimed was attended by thousands of people, including two clerics from Saudi Arabia. Slogans of ‘Nara-e-Takbeer’ and ‘Allahu Akbar’ were raised at the venue.
Murshidabad, which has a 67% Muslim population, is a tinderbox. Just months ago, in April, around five people died, and several were injured as unrest broke out during protests against the Waqf bill. On Saturday, the organisers deployed nearly 3,000 volunteers to prevent roadblocks and keep the national highway (NH-12) running. Seven catering agencies were contracted to prepare shahi biryani for around 40,000 guests and 20,000 residents.
Kabir, who was suspended from the TMC earlier this week over the controversial project, had announced the ceremony earlier this month, inviting fierce criticism from the opposition BJP. The matter also reached the Calcutta High Court, which refused to intervene in the construction of the mosque, even as it directed the Mamata Banerjee-led government to take all steps to prevent a law and order situation.
Kabir, who previously had stints with the Congress and the BJP, claimed that conspiracies were being hatched to disrupt the event, even as he asserted that the police as well as the district administration were extending full cooperation. However, the TMC could not distance itself from a barrage of criticism from the BJP, which accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of using the MLA to polarise Muslims for political gains.
Senior BJP leader and former state unit chief Dilip Ghosh alleged that the TMC was seeking to stoke communal passions ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. “TMC is using Humayun Kabir as a freelancer to create tension before elections,” Ghosh said. Referring to the newly inaugurated Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Ghosh said with the temple now built, “it is time to forget the Babri Masjid”.
Read Also : Sheikh Hasina’s Stay In India Hinges On ‘Circumstances’ Of Her Arrival, Says EAM Jaishankar at HTLS 2025