TMC denies suspending Humayun Kabir over Babri Masjid plan; BJP accuses Mamata of ‘playing with fire’

The political storm around suspended Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir deepened on Saturday, with the Mamata Banerjee-led party clarifying that his removal had nothing to do with his plan to lay the foundation for a Babri Masjid-styled structure in Murshidabad.

As the TMC framed the action as a routine organisational measure, the BJP escalated its charge of polarisation, and central agencies placed the district on high alert over fears of unrest and radicalisation.

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Also Read: Suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir lays ‘Babri Masjid’ foundation in Murshidabad; BJP, Congress hit out

TMC says suspension was over anti-party activity

The Trinamool Congress on Saturday stressed that Humayun Kabir was suspended only for repeated anti-party statements and not for announcing a foundation-laying ceremony for a Babri Masjid-style mosque in Beldanga.

TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh underlined that the party never punishes anyone for religious reasons.

“In West Bengal, any person or persons can build a temple, mosque, church, or any place of worship. For that, he cannot be expelled or face any punitive action. The Trinamool Congress has never done this and will not do it in the future. But, if a person falls into the trap of another political party’s conspiracy and wants to indulge in polarisation of votes by using a religious event and thus creating a chaotic situation, then the party has to take action.”

He added, “If he indulges in anti-party work or tries to put the party in a state of disarray organisationally, then it is a different matter. In that case, the issue is no longer about religion.”

Kabir was suspended earlier this week, soon after he declared his intention to lay the foundation stone for the mosque on December 6. Senior leader Firhad Hakim had then remarked that the party “will not have any relationship with those who do politics over religion”.

BJP accuses Mamata Banerjee of “playing with fire”

The BJP hit back sharply, accusing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of “playing with fire” by allegedly using the suspended MLA to polarise sentiments in a communally sensitive region.

Amit Malviya, head of the BJP IT Cell and the party’s central observer for West Bengal, claimed in a social media post that Kabir’s supporters were seen carrying bricks to construct what he called a Babri Mosque. He alleged that the West Bengal Police “backed” the activity by providing security.

Malviya argued that Beldanga’s history made the situation even more fraught.

“Any organised unrest here could lead to a blockade of NH-12, a lifeline that connects North Bengal to the rest of the state. Such a scenario would have grave consequences for law and order, mobility, and not just the state’s internal cohesion but also national security,” alleged Malviya.