The Calcutta High Court on Friday declined to step in regarding the planned foundation-laying ceremony for a Babri Masjid replica in Beldanga, Murshidabad — an event earlier announced by suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Parthasarathi Sen noted that it would not interfere “at this stage,” allowing Kabir to proceed as long as law and order is strictly upheld.
The judges instructed the police to ensure that the programme does not lead to any unrest. Police officials informed the court that sufficient security measures would be arranged.
Senior advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, representing the petitioner, warned that the event had the potential to spark tensions and disturb communal harmony.
When the bench asked for the Centre’s position, government representatives described the region as “sensitive,” pointing out that it had faced disturbances earlier, which required Central Armed Police Forces to be deployed.
Nineteen CAPF companies already stationed in Murshidabad since the April communal riots will remain on standby for immediate deployment if needed.
The court directed both the state and the Union government to coordinate closely to avoid any “chaotic situation” surrounding the event, Maktoob Media reported.
Officials tightened security in Beldanga on Friday, designating the area a high-security zone and deploying additional personnel, including local police, RAF teams, and BSF units. The measures followed a PIL filed a day earlier, which argued that Humayun Kabir’s plan was unconstitutional and cautioned that the proposed foundation-laying could disrupt communal peace.
Kabir had earlier announced that the foundation stone for a Babri Masjid replica would be laid in Beldanga on December 6, the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition in Ayodhya.
The Trinamool Congress suspended him soon after his announcement. Kabir left the venue immediately after the decision and reiterated that he would continue with the programme. He maintained that land had already been identified for the mosque and also revealed plans to launch a new political party on December 22.
According to officials, the ceremony set for Saturday is expected to draw a sizeable gathering, with preparations made for at least 400 invited attendees. The event will begin at noon, although certain activities are scheduled to start two hours earlier.
Athar Husain, Secretary of the Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation, commented that the community is entitled to build a mosque on land that has legal sanction, but he questioned the rationale behind associating the project with Babur.
He suggested that Kabir’s move appeared driven by political motives, adding that a different name could have attracted support from people of various faiths. In his view, when political calculations overshadow religious intentions, no one benefits.