India: Tensions rise in West Bengal after call to build \u201cBabri-style\u201d mosque
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\nA controversial announcement by TMC MLA Humayun Kabir has sparked political uproar in West Bengal. On November 24, 2025, Kabir declared his intention to build a new mosque \u201cin the style of the Babri Masjid\u201d in the Beldanga area of Murshidabad, NDTV India reported.<\/p>\n
According to the source, he further announced that the foundation stone would be laid on December 6 \u2014 the 33rd anniversary of the demolition of the original Babri Masjid \u2014 and estimated that construction would span roughly three years. <\/p>\n
The statement provoked immediate backlash. The BJP accused Kabir of using religious symbolism to polarize communities ahead of state elections, labeling the plan as \u201cappeasement politics.\u201d
\nTensions escalated further when TMC leadership distanced itself from the remark: senior party figures described the proposal as Kabir\u2019s personal opinion, not an official TMC policy. <\/p>\n
Posters supporting the mosque plan have since appeared across Murshidabad, intensifying public debate. But as of now, no official construction clearance has been reported, and local authorities have not authorized the project. Observers suggest the announcement may be more a political statement than a concrete development plan. <\/p>\n
The controversy has reignited communal sensitivities in a district with a significant minority population. With elections approaching, critics warn that such moves may fuel polarization rather than foster communal harmony \u2014 underscoring the fragile balance between religious expression and political strategy in West Bengal\u2019s volatile electoral climate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
India: Tensions rise in West Bengal after call to build \u201cBabri-style\u201d mosque —————————- A controversial announcement by TMC MLA Humayun Kabir has sparked political uproar in West Bengal. On November 24, 2025, Kabir declared his intention to build a new mosque \u201cin the style of the Babri Masjid\u201d in the Beldanga area of Murshidabad, NDTV …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":137464,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_108372464460192_245495985553329":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[2929],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-137465","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-india"],"yoast_head":"\n