The Calcutta High Court on Friday refused to interfere in the proposed foundation-laying ceremony of a Babri Masjid replica at Beldanga in Murshidabad, announced earlier by suspended Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir.
A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Parthasarathi Sen said the court would not intervene “at this stage” and permitted Kabir to go ahead with the programme, provided that law and order is strictly maintained.
The bench directed the police to ensure that the event does not trigger any disturbance in the region. Police officials assured the court that adequate security arrangements would be put in place.
Senior advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, appearing for the petitioner, argued that such a programme could provoke unrest and threaten communal peace in the area.
When sought the Union government’s views, the Union government told the bench that the region is “sensitive” and had witnessed disturbances earlier, necessitating the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces.
Nineteen CAPF companies stationed in Murshidabad since the communal riots of April remain present and would be available for immediate deployment if required.
The High Court instructed both the state and the union to work together to prevent any “chaotic situation” around the ceremony.
Security in Beldanga was tightened on Friday, with officials declaring the locality a high-security zone as additional forces, including police, RAF, and BSF units, were mobilised.
The directives came during the hearing of a public interest litigation filed on Thursday, which alleged that Kabir’s proposal was unconstitutional and warned that the foundation-laying could disturb communal harmony.
Kabir had announced that the foundation stone for the Babri Masjid would be laid at Beldanga on December 6, the anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.
Following his announcement, the Trinamool Congress suspended him from the party. Immediately after the suspension, Kabir walked out of the venue and reaffirmed that he would proceed with the ceremony. He claimed that the land for the proposed mosque had already been earmarked and added that he would launch a new political party on December 22.
The foundation-laying ceremony scheduled for Saturday is expected to draw a large crowd, with arrangements made for at least 400 invited guests, officials said. The event will begin at 12 noon, though formal activities will commence two hours earlier.
Approximately 3,000 police personnel will be deployed, alongside staff from two local police stations on special duty, to maintain law and order and ensure smooth traffic movement on National Highway 12, an official said. The estimated cost of the project is ₹125 crore.
Suspended MLA Humayun Kabir has said that the replica mosque is part of a larger development plan that includes a college, hospital, and rest house across 20 bighas of land. On Friday evening, local police officials met Kabir and his team. “I am happy with the approach of the police administration. We have to vacate the venue by 4 pm,” Kabir said.
Two Islamic clerics from Saudi Arabia are expected to attend the event, which is slated to conclude by 2 pm, followed by food distribution. “Two qazis from Saudi Arabia will arrive in a special convoy from Kolkata airport in the morning,” Kabir said, adding that religious leaders from several states had also confirmed their presence.
Seven catering companies have been hired to prepare 40,000 packets of Shahi Biryani for attendees, with an additional biryani allocation for 20,000 local residents. According to officials, around ₹30 lakh has been earmarked for food and ₹10 lakh for stage construction.
Samajwadi Party spokesperson Abbas Haider said, “A mosque is a place of worship just as a temple is a place of prayer. Using either for political purposes is highly condemnable. No individual should politicise matters of faith. The Samajwadi Party neither engages in such politics nor supports those who do, and we disagree with their actions.”
Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation Secretary Athar Husain remarked that a mosque built on legally approved land is the right of the community, but questioned the intent behind invoking Babur’s name.
“If a mosque stands on legal land and its map is approved, it can be built by the people of that faith. But naming a mosque after Babur has clear political overtones. It weakens the true spirit of belief. If Humayun Kabir wants to build a mosque, he should not focus on the name,” he said.
He further stated that “Humayun Kabir is a suspended MLA, and his proposal appears politically motivated. Had he chosen a different name, he would have received contributions from people across religious communities. But when politics replaces faith, no one stands to gain.”
Eidgah Imam and AIMPLB member Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali also criticised the move. “No religious issue should be turned into a political battle. As far as the Babri Masjid is concerned, the way this matter has been raised by an MLA is completely uncalled for. Anyone wishing to build a place of worship must obtain permission from state authorities in accordance with the law. The Babri issue is sensitive and should not be exploited politically.”
Visiting the proposed site, suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir reiterated his plan. “In 2024, I had announced that I would soon inaugurate the Babri Masjid in Beldanga, Murshidabad. Today, on December 6, the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition, we are here once again to inaugurate the Babri Masjid in Murshidabad,” he said.
Congress MP Imran Masood accused Kabir of acting on behalf of the BJP. “Look at Humayun Kabir’s history, he is a BJP agent. He contested the 2019 elections on a BJP ticket and is now doing exactly what the BJP does: spreading hatred. A mosque is a place of worship,” Masood said.
