West Bengal politics takes a provocative turn as suspended MLA Humaun Kabir organizes a rally to support building a Babri Masjid lookalike in Murshidabad’s Beldanga. Eager workers transported bricks to the site Wednesday, marking the start of what Kabir envisions as a symbol of religious liberty.
The rally kicks off Thursday from Nadia’s Palashi, involving 100 vehicles and 600 participants traversing 265 km to Itahar in North Dinajpur. Kabir justified the event to dispel rumors fueled by vested interests misleading the public on the mosque project.
In detailed remarks, the Janata Unnayan Party chief projected a three-year timeline for the Rs 55 crore endeavor. Highlighting the imposing 14m-high, 5m-wide gateway costing Rs 5 crore independently, he noted the foundation laid on December 6 last year—inspired by Ayodhya’s razed mosque.
Addressing critics head-on, Kabir declared, ‘Back off if you’re against it. Everyone’s free to follow their religion and construct places of worship as they see fit—temples, churches, anything. This isn’t confrontation on religious grounds.’
Post-suspension from TMC’s Bharatpur seat, Kabir launched his party and seeks broad anti-BJP, anti-TMC coalitions for upcoming polls, with limited success beyond AIMIM.
As Bengal braces for elections, this initiative underscores tensions between religious expression and political maneuvering. Kabir’s stance on mutual religious freedoms could reshape alliances, but risks inflaming communal divides in a sensitive state.