West Bengal Election 2025: Can Mamata Banerjee contain Humayun Kabir's Babri Masjid gambit amid political tension?

Why was a move initiated to build a replica of the Babari Masjid 33 years after it was demolished by a frenzied crowd of karsevaks in Ayodhya? More interestingly, the man who contested the Lok Sabha Election 2019 on a BJP ticket from West Bengal's Murshidabad gave this onerous task to himself after getting many reprimands for anti-party activities from his present party, Trinamool Congress (TMC). He has already collected more than Rs 1 crore for the project to construct a mosque, a 500-bed hospital along with a medical college, a park, a restaurant, and a helipad, which may cost Rs 300 crore.

West Bengal Election 2025

After being expelled from the TMC for anti-party activities, Humayun Kabir slammed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the backwardness of the minority community and asked what she had done for the Muslims of the state in return for their votes to remain in power. Worse, he confessed to stoking communal riots in the district and claimed to have done so on the order of the chief minister. The Bharatpur MLA said, "Before the last Lok Sabha election, to defeat CPI(M)’s [Mohammed] Selim and Congress’s Adhir [Chowdhury], it was the chief minister herself who told me to start a riot in Shaktipur." He added, "Otherwise, the CPIM-Congress would have won two parliamentary seats. And now, just because I want to build a mosque, I have suddenly become a rioter?" 

(People reached site of proposed Babri Masjid with bricks on their head.)

Babri Masjid replica in West Bengal

Beldanga was rocked by communal violence in April 2024, weeks before the Lok Sabha election. What began with a minor altercation during a religious procession spiraled into full-scale clashes between two communities. Weeks later, it was Humayun Kabir who mobilised minority votes in the Baharampur constituency and helped cricketer-turned-politician and TMC candidate Yousuf Pathan defeat veteran Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. It was the first election defeat of the strongman. 

Mamata Banerjee Muslim voters

In a state with a Muslim population of about 30% and about 100 assembly constituencies with a sizeable chunk of minority voters, Humayun Kabir should not be taken lightly, at least till the West Bengal Election 2025. Thousands of people from villages around the proposed site, as well as far-flung areas, streamed into the village where the foundation stone for the proposed Babri Masjid was laid. They swarmed the area in buses and 'totos' (as e-rickshaws are called in Bengal) and travelled on foot. Tractors loaded with bricks and bags of cement arrived soon. So reached people with packets of biryani, biscuits, fruits and water bottles in their hands. The common refrain was that the Muslims have thousands of mosques, and they can have many more; however, Babur has a different connection that cannot be ignored. 

Murshidabad minority politics

The district of Murshidabad has a 66% Muslim population. The other districts of the area, bordering Bangladesh—Maldah, Bahrampur, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, and Cooch Behar—have about 50% Muslim voters. Now, some Muslims are upset with Mamata Banerjee for building Hindu temples at government expense and helping Durga Puja committees across the state with funds from the government exchequer. Mamata Banerjee cannot deny that her government has funded high-profile temple initiatives, including a Jagannath temple in Digha, the Durgangan temple in New Town in Kolkata, and a proposed Mahakal temple in Matigara in the Siliguri district, besides granting Rs 1.10 lakh to each of the Durga Puja committees.

Mamata Banerjee launched many schemes for the poor, focusing on food (Maa Canteen for subsidized meals and food grains), housing (Banglar Awaas Yojana), and social security (Bina Mulya Samajik Suraksha Yojana for unorganized workers, Widow Pension, and NSAP pensions). It also rolled out schemes for creating employment and developing skills (Yuvashree for youth and Karmashree for rural work). Though these schemes have helped the poor, they have failed to create opportunities for continuous revenue income. 

Bengal Muslims' economic woes

The financial deprivation and economic condition are the main reasons for resonating the communal feelings among the Muslims in the land of Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazarul Islam. With no new opportunities for jobs being created, existing opportunities shrinking, and agricultural income falling, the people are frustrated and disappointed. Under these circumstances, Humayun Kabir revolts against his party, questions it and the government on the apparent financial woes of the communities, and challenges them. He has no solution to any of the issues, so he has come out with a communal agenda, and the name of Babri Masjid appears to have appealed to the people. 

(A replica of Jagannath Temple was constructed at Digha.)

Babri Masjid controversy, Bengal

The sinister design can be understood by the fact that he was seen with Karthik Maharaj, whom Mamata Banerjee accused of fueling communal tension in the state. This came after Kabir had delivered communally provocative speeches before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. He was accused of starting riots; he admits it now and blames it on the chief minister. The ruling party did not expel him then. He has grown in stature, gone out of TMC's control, and realized the potential of the Babri Masjid for inciting and provoking the Muslims. He wants his pound of flesh. He is back to demand his dues like Mephistopheles of Christopher Marlowe's 'Doctor Faustus.' It will be difficult for Mamata Banerjee to stop the demon of her own creation. She is desperate to control the damage and minimize the losses.