Kolkata

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Thursday suspended West Bengal MLA Humayun Kabir after he publicly claimed that he would inaugurate a “Babri Masjid” in Murshidabad on December 6.

The announcement came after senior party leader and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim said that Kabir had previously been cautioned about making such remarks. Speaking at a press conference, Hakim said the party questioned Kabir’s intent behind repeatedly invoking the issue.

“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. Following the party’s decision, TMC is suspending MLA Humayun Kabir,” Hakim stated.

He further alleged that Kabir’s statements reflected a “divisive political strategy” similar to the BJP’s tactics. “Why December 6? Why didn’t Humayun Kabir choose another name? He could have built a school or a college in Murshidabad. We believe this is the BJP’s policy of dividing Bengal on religious lines. They have played this card before elections. I think Kabir has stepped into this divisional politics,” Hakim added.

Kabir had earlier announced that he planned to lay the foundation stone for a structure named “Babri Masjid” in Beldanga, Murshidabad, on December 6 — the date associated with the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992. He also said that the proposed project would take three years to complete and include participation from several Muslim leaders.

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The statement triggered sharp criticism from the BJP. Reacting to Kabir’s comments, BJP leader Dilip Ghosh said, “Anyone can build a temple or mosque on their own land, but no mosque will be built in India in the name of Babur. For 450 years the Hindu community protested and destroyed his structures and later built the Ram temple. Babur was an invader; nothing will be made in his name here.”