Humayun's Babri move unsettles Mamata in poll season

On the 32nd anniversary of the demolition of Ayodhya's Babri Masjid, on Saturday, 6 December, in a highly charged political and communal atmosphere, suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Humayun Kabir from Bharatpur led the foundation-laying (shilanyas) ceremony of a mosque styled after the Babri Masjid in Beldanga, Murshidabad district.

- SUPROTIM MUKHERJEE

The event was conducted amid unprecedented security preparations. Though hundreds of police personnel were brought in from three neighbouring districts to maintain law and order, sources said that no permission was sought for the gathering.

Kabir's audacious move following his suspension by the TMC for this very plan-triggered tremors through Bengal's political landscape just over a year ahead of the state's 2026 Assembly elections. He also threatened to float his own political party and maintained that his party would contest about 135 Muslim-majority seats in West Bengal. Murshidabad district has a 70% Muslim population.

Observers said Humayun Kabir's initiative threatens to fracture the unified Muslim vote bank that Mamata Banerjee's party has long commanded, cementing the Trinamool Congress' grip on power since 2011.

"By threatening to form his own political party to contest 135 Muslim-majority seats, Kabir's gambit will open the doors for the BJP to extract electoral advantage in the polls," said political observer Biswajit Das.

The foundation event at Beldanga witnessed a massive turnout with thousands bringing bricks for the masjid gathering across a sprawling 25 bigha area. A 150-foot by 80-foot dais, capable of hosting approximately 400 dignitaries, was specially erected, while seven catering agencies were contracted to supply over 40,000 meal packets for guests and an additional 20,000 for local residents, pushing expenditure estimates to between Rs 60-70 lakh.

Nearly 3,000 volunteers were deployed to coordinate crowd, traffic, and public order management.

Visitors included prominent religious leaders from across states, including two qazis arriving from Saudi Arabia in a convoy organized from Kolkata airport. The event opened with Quranic recitation at 10a.m., followed by the cer emonial foundation, with a promise to clear the venue by 4 p.m. as per police directives.