New Delhi: Posters announcing the construction of a ‘Babri Masjid’ have appeared across Murshidabad district in West Bengal, days after Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir announced that a foundation stone would be laid on December 6 in Beldanga. The move has triggered sharp political reactions.
The project is reportedly being carried out under the supervision of MLA Humayun Kabir.
BJP West Bengal President Samik Bhattacharya condemned the initiative, accusing the ruling Trinamool Congress of pushing the state toward instability. “The entire country is watching how Mamata Banerjee has brought West Bengal to the brink of collapse. If anyone dares to suggest rebuilding the Babri Masjid in India, the nation will not stay silent. The whole country will rise against it,” Bhattacharya said.
Bihar Minister Nitin Nabin also criticised the announcement, saying, “Those who do not respect the authority of the High Court and still believe in living in the era of Babur should understand that such a mindset has come to an end. Those who continue thinking in that direction will receive a fitting response in due course.”
Earlier, Humayun Kabir had reiterated his plans, stating that several Muslim clerics and community leaders were expected to attend the ceremony. “We will lay the foundation stone of the Babri Masjid on December 6 in Beldanga, Murshidabad district. The structure will take approximately three years to complete,” he told reporters.
His statements immediately revived political and social tensions due to the historical and emotional significance attached to the Babri Masjid dispute.
However, the Trinamool Congress quickly moved to distance itself from Kabir’s announcement. TMC MLA Nirmal Ghosh clarified that Kabir’s statements were personal and not endorsed by the party. “His speeches have nothing to do with the party. They are his personal views, and the party does not agree with them. He has crossed the line,” Ghosh said.
The BJP escalated its criticism, linking the announcement to appeasement politics. On November 22, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya had reacted sharply to Kabir’s statement, particularly as the proposed foundation date coincides with the anniversary of the original Babri Masjid demolition in Ayodhya.
Speaking to IANS, Maurya said, “On the land of Bharat, if they believe a foreign invader like Babur — who broke the Ram temple and erected a structure — should be honoured, they are deeply mistaken. Babri Masjid was demolished on December 6, 1992, by kar sevaks. Now, no such construction will be allowed on the soil of Bharat.”
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) spokesperson Vinod Bansal also criticised Kabir for using the name “Babri,” calling it “an insult to national sentiment.” He alleged that Mamata Banerjee is encouraging the incident to consolidate what he called her “jihadist vote bank.”
The foundation-stone event in Beldanga is scheduled on the same day that Mamata Banerjee and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee are set to address a gathering in Kolkata marking the Babri Masjid demolition anniversary.
In a post on X, Bansal wrote, “TMC MLA Humayun Kabir has announced plans to lay the foundation stone of a mosque named after the foreign invader Babur on December 6. Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee is preparing to revive the Babri narrative after keeping it politically dormant for decades.”
With IANS inputs