- Trinamool Congress suspended MLA Humayun Kabir for proposing a Babri Masjid replica in Murshidabad
- Kabir plans to lay the foundation stone on December 6, sparking controversy within the party
- Mamata Banerjee and party disassociate from Kabir's mosque plan, signaling strong disapproval
Trinamool Congress on Thursday suspended MLA Humayun Kabir from the party after he proposed to build a replica of the Babri Masjid in West Bengal's Murshidabad this week. According to Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, the MLA had been "warned" about his statements previously.
"We noticed that one of our MLAs from Murshidabad suddenly declared that he would build the Babri masjid. Why suddenly Babri masjid? We already warned him. We believe in secular theory. As per the decision of our party, we are suspending MLA Humayun Kabir," the mayor said.
Kabir had revealed his plan to lay the foundation stone of a Babri mosque in Beldanga on December 6. Sources said he will resign from the Trinamool on Friday and form his own party, and continue to build the Babri mosque replica.
Alleging a "BJP policy in promoting a divisional politics", the Kolkata Mayor said, "Why December 6? Why did Kabir not choose another name? He can build a school or college in Murshidabad. We think this is the BJP's policy in trying to divide Bengal by religious matters. The BJP believes in divisional politics. BJP has played this type of card before elections. I think Kabir stepped up into this divisional politics."
Sources earlier told NDTV that Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee was "hugely annoyed" with Kabir's remarks. She and the party would not associate with the masjid move - a message that was communicated to the MLA from Bharatpur, sources added.
Bengal governor Ananda Bose had questioned the state government that if Kabir's statements are creating a law-and-order problem, why he is not being arrested. "The reports I have received from the field, intelligence agencies, and local opinion leaders indicate that someone is deliberately trying to turn Murshidabad into a hub of scandal. This will not be allowed. If communal sentiments are stirred, the state and its government will not remain mute spectators," he said.
While Kabir does have permission to hold the event on December 6, the administration is on high alert in Murshidabad, officials said.
Minutes after his suspension, Kabir dropped out of Banerjee's rally at the India-Bangladesh border district of Murshidabad to protest against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.
BJP slams Humayun Kabir
BJP spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo hit out at Kabir, saying such remarks are to "create communal tensions".
"I challenge them that if they have the courage, let them try to build a Babri Masjid-like structure in Murshidabad or anywhere in West Bengal. Such statements are being made only to create communal tension. If memorials are raised in the name of Babar, Akbar, Shahjahan, or Aurangzeb, the outcome will inevitably lead to the same kind of dispute that the Babri Masjid faced," he said.
