Calling it “a prestige battle for Muslims”, suspended Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir on Saturday laid the foundation stone for a Babri Masjid-like mosque at Beldanga in West Berngal’s Murshidabad where thousands of people gathered on the anniversary of the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition in Ayodhya.
During the event, the Bharatpur MLA hit out at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of doing nothing for the minority community in the state. Claiming that Banerjee was “highly arrogant”, Kabir announced to float his own party on December 22.
“Babri Masjid will be built here. This is a prestige battle for Muslims,” the legislator said, adding that a 300-bed hospital, a helipad, a hotel and a school will also be built on the mosque premises at an estimated cost of Rs 300 crore.
Taking a swipe at Banerjee, Kabir said, “Whatever the Chief Minister does is right. Whatever others say is wrong. Mamata Banerjee is so arrogant. What did the minorities get by making her CM?”
“Minorities form 37 per cent of the population in Bengal. Mamata became CM by getting most of their votes. I will crush her,” the MLA said.
Claiming that the TMC has over the years seen a reduction in the number of minority MLAs, he said, “In 2011, that number was 67. In 2016, it decreased to 57. In 2021, it further went down to 44.”
People carrying bricks for proposed Babri Masjid replica in Murshidabad during the foundation stone laying ceremony. (Express Photo)
“I will announce my new party on December 22 and will field candidates from 135 seats. The TMC will see what will happen then,” he said.
People arrive with Tricolour, bricks
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The foundation-laying ceremony at the proposed 25-acre site was scheduled from 10 am, but crowds began gathering on the National Highway (NH) 12 early morning, causing the area to be partially blocked. Those who arrived for the event carried national flags while many brought bricks to erect the masjid.
Over 3,000 police personnel were deployed along the premises of the proposed mosque on Saturday. A senior police officer said, “What we thought about the gathering, the real number of visitors are much more and there is a certain craze over this mosque among the people of Murshidabad district as a whole. Some visitors also came from adjacent districts like Nadia, Malda, and North Dinajpur.”
After the foundation-laying ceremony, Kabir said there will be no shortage of funds for the mosque’s construction. A medical college and hospital will be built on its premises across 25 bighas, he said, adding the main mosque will be built on three acres.
On Friday, the Calcutta High Court had refused to interfere in the proposed ceremony of the mosque. A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Parthasarathi Sen said the court would not intervene at this stage.
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The bench observed that Kabir may organise the programme but only by strictly maintaining law and order. The police must ensure that the event does not trigger any disturbance, the bench added.
The police had informed the court that they would take all necessary measures to maintain security.
On Wednesday, the TMC had suspended Kabir, days after he “vowed” to build a replica of the Babri Masjid in Murshidabad. State Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Firhad Hakim announced the suspension, saying, “We noticed that one of our MLAs from Murshidabad suddenly declared that he would build the Babri Masjid. Why suddenly Babri Masjid? We had already warned him.”
Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain.
Experience
Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express.
Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news.
Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions.
Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal.
Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla.
Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent.
Education
Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting.
Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University.
Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.
Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More
People carrying bricks for proposed Babri Masjid replica in Murshidabad during the foundation stone laying ceremony. (Express Photo)
