Ayodhya, India – The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly condemned the Trinamool Congress (TMC) after a suspended TMC MLA laid the foundation stone for a "Babri Masjid-style" mosque in West Bengal's Murshidabad district on December 6, coinciding with the 33rd anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition in Ayodhya. The BJP has accused the TMC of engaging in appeasement politics and attempting to turn West Bengal into an "Islamic state".
Humayun Kabir, the suspended TMC MLA, organized a ceremony in Beldanga, Murshidabad, where he laid the foundation stone for the mosque. The event was held under heavy security, with riot police, central forces, and district units patrolling the area to prevent any unrest. Kabir defended his actions, citing the constitutional right to build places of worship, stating that if anyone can build a temple or church, so can he. He claimed that more than 2,000 people attended the gathering.
The BJP has reacted sharply to the event, accusing the TMC of prioritizing vote-bank politics over national interests. BJP leaders have alleged that the TMC is using Kabir to polarize Muslim voters for political gain. Assam Assembly Deputy Speaker and BJP leader Numal Momin claimed that Kabir's actions reflect the TMC's agenda to turn West Bengal into an "Islamic state". He further stated that Babur was an invader who destroyed Indian culture and that Kabir is doing the same by laying the foundation stone for the mosque.
BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla criticized Kabir's announcement as politically motivated, calling it "appeasement pro-max politics of TMC". He accused the TMC of supporting abusive rhetoric against Hindus for electoral gain. Union Minister Giriraj Singh went further, stating that the event was laying the foundation stone not of the Babri Masjid, but of Bangladesh, and that the Mamata Banerjee government relies on the support of Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants.
The TMC has distanced itself from Kabir's actions, with a senior party leader stating that he remains suspended and is acting "on the payroll of the BJP" to stoke communal tensions. The TMC leader dismissed the BJP's claims as baseless and insisted that the TMC needs no lessons on religious harmony.
The construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, which began after the Supreme Court's verdict in 2019, has been a significant issue in Indian politics for decades. The BJP has long advocated for the construction of the temple, while other parties have emphasized the need to maintain communal harmony and uphold the rule of law. The Babri Masjid was demolished on December 6, 1992, leading to widespread communal riots across the country. The incident remains a sensitive issue in India, and any event related to it is likely to spark political controversy.
