800 kms from Ayodhya, a Babri Masjid-Ram Mandir replica showdown fuels a fresh political row in Bengal

With the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across the state — a key flashpoint between the Mamata Banerjee government and the Election Commission (EC) — and Assembly polls on the horizon, Murshidabad, which borders Bangladesh, is in focus. Banerjee herself is scheduled to visit Murshidabad on December 4.

Since the 2002 SIR, Murshidabad has seen a 87.65% rise in the number of voters. Other border districts have also seen an uptick with Uttar Dinajpur (105.49% increase in number of registered voters), Malda (94.58%), South-24 Parganas (83.30%), Jalpaiguri (82.3%), Cooch Behar (76.52%), North-24 Parganas (72.18%), Nadia (71.46%) and Dakshin Dinajpur (70.94%).

As December 6 approaches, despite some setbacks, Kabir, who is also the secretary of the newly formed West Bengal Islamic Foundation of India, remains determined to lay the foundation stone of the mosque.

“As announced earlier, we will lay the foundation stone of the Babri Masjid on December 6. A trust has almost been formed and we are drawing up a plan to implement the construction of Babri Masjid. It will be an exact replica of the Babri mosque, but on a smaller scale. We are trying to get land, but those who had agreed are backing out because of pressure from the police and administration. However, when I said we will lay the foundation stone, we will do it on December 6. Come what may, I will build the Babri Mosque here,” he told The Indian Express over phone.

Claiming he had received “good response” from across the state, Kabir said the trust also plans to construct a 200-bedded hospital and a five-storeyed guest house on the premises of the mosque. “It will take around three years to complete. There is no question of backing off. Building a place of worship is my Constitutional right,” he said.

The Congress has latched on to the issue with former MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury targeting the TMC for its “silence”. “The TMC is not saying a word against Kabir and no action has been taken. The CM’s silence indicates a tacit support. On one hand, she has built the Jagannath temple, and now wants communal polarisation,” he said.

The BJP’s former Murshidabad president, Sakharab Sarkar, said he would construct a Ram Temple, though he has not decided where it will come up. “We will conduct Bhumi Pujan on December 6. I am not giving out details of the land since the TMC will immediately create roadblocks for the project. It will be in Baharampur town and will be a smaller version of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir,” he told The Indian Express.

Another proposed Ram Mandir is being built by the “Bongiyo Ram Sevak Parishad Charitable Trust”, for which a groundbreaking ceremony was held on January 22 in Alankar village of the Sagardighi Assembly constituency. “We will soon start the construction. It will be a replica. We are receiving good funds from people across the state,” said Ambikananda Maharaj, president of the Trust.

“There will be a Ram temple, and beside it, two other temples — one dedicated to Lord Shiva and another to Hanumanji,” said Dharmajit Debnath, secretary of the Trust, speaking to The Express.

While the TMC has distanced itself from Kabir and is not formally commenting on his moves, Left leaders blamed both the BJP and the ruling party for engaging in communal politics by raking up such issues in a district that saw communal tension in Beldanga in November 2024, with the administration imposing prohibitory orders and an internet ban.

“The TMC and BJP have no issues to raise on employment, food, health or other concerns. They are happy to play with people’s emotions on mandir and masjid, dividing people on religion, caste and creed,” said Sujan Chakraborty, CPI(M) central committee member.

Former state BJP president Rahul Sinha said, “Ram Mandir is not an issue there. But the manner in which Kabir is creating controversy and instigating people is clear. Yet, the TMC is maintaining its distance and not acting against him despite his anti-party statements. TMC too wants to instigate communal overtones in the district.”

“However, it is clear that the Rashtrabadi (nationalist) Muslims are not with Kabir. Local Muslims are refusing to give land to him. This shows his communal designs are being resisted,” Sinha said.

Reacting on the issue, BJP leader Uma Bharti had a piece of “advice” for the Bengal CM. “God, worship, we will honor a mosque built in the name of Islam, but the building made in the name of Babur will meet the same fate as what happened in Ayodhya on December 6—the bricks had also disappeared. I advise my friend Mamata Banerjee ji to take action against those who talk of building a mosque in the name of Babur; for the identity and harmony of Bengal and the country, you too have a responsibility,” she said in a post on X on November 23.

Indian Secular Front (ISF) MLA Naushad Siddiqui also weighed in on the issue. “People are now talking about universities and hospitals in the district whenever the Babri Masjid issue comes up. This shows the government has failed to build universities and proper hospitals for Murshidabad,” he said.