Foundation stone laid despite suspension & protests

• On 6 December 2025, Humayun Kabir laid the foundation stone for a “Babri Masjid-style” mosque in Beldanga, Murshidabad district of West Bengal — even after being suspended from TMC for “communal politics.”
• The ceremony began with a Quran reading at noon, followed by the stone-laying, in presence of clerics and a large gathering. Slogans like “Allahu Akbar” were reportedly raised at the event.
• Security was extremely tight — large contingents of district police, RAF and central forces were deployed in and around Beldanga and along National Highway 12 to prevent any disturbance. The site was effectively barricaded under heavy security cover.

Legal Background: Court Declines to Stop Ceremony; State Told to Maintain Order

• A petition was filed seeking to stop the event; but on 5 December 2025, the Calcutta High Court declined to interfere with the ceremony. It noted that 19 companies of central armed forces had already been deployed, and ordered the State to ensure law and order.
• The court directed that the lives and properties of citizens be protected, and that any responsibility for law-and-order breakdown would rest with the state — also requiring organizers to avoid any provocation or communal incitement.

Political Fallout: Suspension, New Party Threat & Accusations of Communalism

• Earlier on 4 December 2025, TMC had suspended Humayun Kabir for his plan to build a “Babri Masjid” in Murshidabad, accusing him of communalising politics with alleged backing from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Local TMC leader Firhad Hakim said Kabir had been warned multiple times before being suspended.
• Kabir, defying the suspension, said he would resign as MLA and form his own party on 22 December 2025, declaring his intention to contest across 135 seats in upcoming state elections.
• TMC said the move contradicted their secular principles and warned against communal polarisation. BJP leaders were also quick to criticise — arguing that using the name “Babri Masjid” in West Bengal is provocative and “insults the Constitution.”

Why the Move Is So Sensitive

• The original Babri Masjid (in Ayodhya) was demolished in 1992 — its demolition anniversary is 6 December. By scheduling the foundation-laying on that date and naming the mosque “Babri Masjid,” the move carries heavy symbolic and communal connotations.
• Given West Bengal’s history of communal peace — and Murshidabad’s mixed religious demographics — many see the act as deliberate provocation, with potential to disturb communal harmony. Hence, high alert and large security deployment.

What It Means — Broader Implications

• The event underlines the volatile intersection of religion and politics in West Bengal — with a single MLA’s move potentially impacting community relations and electoral politics ahead of state polls.
• The decision of TMC to suspend one of its own MLAs shows the party’s sensitivity to communal issues — yet the fact that the ceremony went ahead despite suspension raises questions about law-and-order enforcement and political signalling.
• The involvement or mention of national parties and the scale of mobilisation (thousands of attendees, clerics, public messaging) may escalate tensions, especially in a state with a history of communal discord.
• For minority politics in Bengal: Kabir’s move may be an attempt to carve a distinct identity or support base — but such identity politics often risks polarising communities and undermining long-term social harmony.