The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has suspended its MLA, Humayun Kabir, on Thursday, December 4, 2025, after controversy erupted over his plan to lay the foundation stone for a "Babri Masjid-style" mosque in Murshidabad on December 6, the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition. The TMC accused Kabir of engaging in "communal politics" and alleged he was attempting to incite communal tensions with the support of the BJP.
The suspension was formally announced by Kolkata Mayor and senior TMC leader Firhad Hakim, who stated that the decision had the approval of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee. Hakim emphasized the party's commitment to maintaining peace ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections and stressed that while anyone is free to build a mosque, the TMC would not tolerate attempts to inflame religious sentiments. "Kabir was involved in communal politics, which the TMC is strictly against. He will have no relation with the party from this moment," Hakim stated. He also mentioned that the party had cautioned Kabir multiple times in the past.
Kabir, the MLA from Bharatpur, remained defiant in the face of his suspension. He declared his intention to resign as MLA, launch a new political party on December 22, and proceed with the mosque foundation event, even if it meant facing arrest or death. He called his suspension a "deliberate humiliation" and alleged that he had been targeted by rivals within the party. Kabir claimed that his new party would contest 135 seats in the 2026 Assembly elections.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, without directly naming Kabir, launched a scathing attack, branding him a "Mirzafar-gaddar (traitor)" and accusing him of accepting money from the BJP to create communal unrest. She remarked that problematic elements need to be removed to prevent wider issues, emphasizing that Hindus and Muslims will continue to live together in unity.
The BJP dismissed the suspension as "drama," with state president Samik Bhattacharya claiming that Kabir had made inflammatory remarks for a long time without any action from the TMC. He further alleged that the TMC now wanted to "establish Babur's rule" in Bengal.
Political analysts suggest that the TMC's move aims to consolidate its ranks before the elections and neutralize a potentially destabilizing internal challenge linked to a sensitive communal date.
Humayun Kabir has a history of switching between political parties, including Congress, TMC, and BJP. He lost the 2016 elections as an independent candidate, then joined Congress before moving to BJP before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. After losing again, he returned to the TMC.
