Kolkata, December 6: Suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Humayun Kabir on Saturday laid the foundation stone for the Babri Masjid in Murshidabad, asserting that the construction of the mosque is fully in line with constitutional rights. Kabir emphasized that the 37 percent Muslim population of Bengal would see the project through, stating that no one could stop them from building it.
In his address, Kabir firmly rejected any claims that his actions were unconstitutional. "I am not doing anything unlawful. Anyone has the right to build a temple or a church, and I have the right to build a mosque," he said. He referred to the historical significance of the Babri Masjid, highlighting that despite the Supreme Court's decision allowing the construction of a Ram Temple on the site of the demolished Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, there was no legal barrier to building a mosque.
Kabir further added, "It is not written anywhere that we cannot build the Babri Masjid. The Constitution guarantees the right to build a place of worship, and that is exactly what I am doing." He pointed to the recent foundation stone ceremony for a Ram Temple in Sagardighi as an example of how religious structures can be built, and argued that the Constitution permits the same for a mosque.
Kabir also dismissed concerns over the legal challenges facing the project. "Five cases have been filed against me, but no one can stop me when Allah is with me," he declared. He further stressed that the Constitution of India upholds the right to build a mosque and expressed confidence that the project would proceed without obstruction.
Addressing the controversy surrounding the demolished Babri Masjid, Kabir stated, "There are four crore Muslims in Bengal. Don't they have the right to build the Babri Masjid?" He also responded to threats made against him, including remarks from the former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. "If anyone has the courage, they are welcome to come to Murshidabad and show it," he said boldly.
Kabir revealed that a budget of ₹300 crore has been allocated for the mosque, which will also feature a hospital, guesthouse, and meeting hall. "The Babri Masjid will be built. It is a promise from the Muslims: It will be built, it will be built, it will be built," he reiterated.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of intentionally stoking religious polarisation in the state by allowing Kabir to make such divisive statements. The BJP criticized Banerjee for delaying Kabir's suspension, citing his earlier remarks about the demographic composition of the district, which allegedly threatened Hindus by stating that Muslims form 70 percent of the population, while Hindus constitute only 30 percent.
The BJP suggested that Kabir's actions were politically motivated rather than religious, and warned that Banerjee’s inaction could further destabilize the region.
