"Dangerous": BJP As Cleric Announces 'Babri Mosque Memorial' In Hyderabad

Socio-religious organisation Tehreek Muslim Shabban president Mushtaq Malik has sparked a political controversy with his announcement to construct a 'Babri memorial' along with welfare institutions in the Greater Hyderabad region. 

The declaration, made during a public meeting on the 33rd anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition on December 6, drew an immediate and sharp backlash from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Malik, who is also the convenor of the Telangana Muslim Joint Action Committee, said the decision to build the memorial was taken at a public meeting held on December 6. He said the project aims to create a memorial dedicated to the demolished Babri Masjid, along with accompanying welfare institutions, and expressed confidence that it would be "grounded by December next year."

He cited the example of a similar initiative announced in West Bengal's Murshidabad and described the debate around the name 'Babur' as "political propaganda" aimed at dividing the country. "We decided that a memorial for the Babri Masjid would be built in Greater Hyderabad, and some welfare institutions would also be built within it. We will soon announce how it will be built and by when," he said.

#WATCH | Hyderabad, Telangana | On announcement of Babri Masjid in Hyderabad, President Tahreek Muslim Shabban Mushtaq Malik says, "In view of the 33rd anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid, a routine public meeting was held at the mosque in Hyderabad. At that… pic.twitter.com/gRUpBZbfoC

— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2025

The BJP has strongly condemned the announcement, calling it a "dangerous and inflammatory" move intended to incite communal tension, especially after the Supreme Court's final settlement of the Ayodhya dispute. 

BJP Telangana spokesperson NV Subhash criticised the remarks, warning that such statements threaten communal harmony. He urged the government to enforce law and order and take firm action.

BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh said India would "never accept any monument or object in the name of Babur," asserting that Babur's legacy was one of tyranny.

The BJP has questioned the silence of the newly elected Revanth Reddy-led Congress government in Telangana, arguing that the lack of action encourages such elements. 

The announcement in Hyderabad follows a similar move in West Bengal, where a suspended TMC MLA laid the foundation stone for a Babri Masjid-style structure. The back-to-back developments have pushed the decades-old dispute back into political discourse, with the BJP warning that the Telangana government's silence could lead to unrest. The former TMC leader also said he would partner with Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM.