Humayun Kabir, the legislator from Bharatpur assembly constituency in Muslim-stronghold Murshidabad, is in news.
He wants to construct a Babri Masjid estimated at around Rs 125 crore, on spacious 20 bighas of land in Beldanga.
Murshidabad district is a well known political hotbed with around 70 per cent Muslim population.
Kabir has said on December 6th, the 33rd anniversary of the demolition of the historic mosque in Ayodhya in 1992; he will do something big and significant for the Muslims.
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| Sangh Parivar 'anguish' - Dec 6, 1992 |
The move has provoked reactions from the BJP which says it is “a sinister move of ruling Trinamool Congress party for electoral benefit”.
The assembly elections are scheduled in West Bengal by April–May 2026 along with Assam, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The ongoing SIR has already made things difficult for Mamata - who had a substantial control over Muslim vote base.
Kabir has reportedly already prepared "invitation letters" for his mega event on Dec 6 and will distribute them among dignitaries and guests, including political leaders.
The mega project will also include a ‘Babri Masjid’, a college, a hospital and a six-storied rest house.
No one is actually certain about Kabir's intention. He has sounded bitter against Mamata Banerjee and has spoken in a language that suggests that he might prefer to take an independent political journey.
Sources said unlike 'typical Trinamool culture'; Kabir has decided not to invite TMC supremo saying she will be too busy that day in Kolkata.
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| Mamata Banerjee's failed Rally in Delhi - 2014 |
The Trinamool leadership is well aware of his programme, it is said and hence the party leaders will stage a peace march in Kolkata on Dec 6.
"There is a distinct change in the political significance of Dec 6 ... people have almost forgotten that day and instead are stuck with Nov 9 (2019) when the Supreme Court judgement came or with Aug 5, 2020 when Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for construction of Ram temple," says Rafiq Alam from Coochbehar area in North Bengal.
He adds: "Apparently many Muslims in our state and also from across the country have assured moral and financial support to Humayan Kabir saheb for his project including a Babri Masjid. In fact, we may see a new political party launched on that day".
If such a thing happens, analysts say -- the Trinamool's Muslim support base will be shaken.
It is obvious what Kabir intends.
Murshidabad district has 70% Muslims and Humayun Kabir knows their socio-economic problems. To mobilise vote banks ahead of the assembly polls, he has decided to play up a mixed of parochial and religious lines.
Rahul Sinha, veteran BJP leader and former state party president, says:
“Humayan Kabir has been using such tactics to create pressure politics because he has been sidelined in the party for long.
We are conveying messages to the general Muslim community, asking them to know their MLA like Humayun Kabir, who has been doing politics with mosques.”
Others say Kabir is intentionally creating communal tension in this part of West Bengal. Even The Bengal Imam Association (BIA) has strongly opposed Humayun’s move to set up a Masjid by such name.
"He is only doing politics with Muslims for his personal gain,” said Md Yahiya, chairman of the Bengal Imam Association (BIA) adding, "What is the necessity of setting up a mosque 33 years after the Babri Masjid demolition?”
Humayun Kabir has good networking ability and he was with the BJP for about two years since 2019. Even in the Trinamool Congress; he was earlier suspended for anti-party activities.
But he returned to Mamata-led outfit in and also became MLA from Bharatpur in the 2021 assembly polls.
Nervous Trinamool Congress leadership may face other problems in North Bengal.
The Kamtapuri people are the Koch-Rajbanshi community in the northern parts of West Bengal. They have substantial population in Assam too. The Kamtapur movement is based on the distinct identity of the Koch-Rajbanshi people and their historical connection to the ancient kingdom of Kamata.
A political party was founded in 1996 that works with the Koch-Rajbanshi population and advocates for Kamtapur statehood and the recognition of their language. The Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) had emerged as an armed group in 1993.
It even engaged in violent clashes in the past but later announced a ceasefire.
Now; some Kamtapur public leaders are proposing to float a new regional party.
This would have another significant impact electorally.
In May 2025, the Kamtapur Peoples’ Party (KPP) - that was floated in 1996 - submitted memorandum to the district magistrate’s office in Jalpaiguri seeking quick actions from Union home minister Amit Shah and chief minister Mamata Banerjee on their demands.
The demands include government actions against acres of government land that "have been encroached".
"We want the state government to clear the encroachments and distribute the plots among landless Kamtapuris (Rajbanshis) and migrant workers who do not own any land,” the KPP had said.
Ground Zero : An Assessment .... First hand report
Malda:
In Malda, locals quoting media and other reports say Muslim population is about 26-27 lakh – a quantum leap from 16.5 lakh in 2001. Trinamool party workers in Coochbehar (who claim of visiting Malda from time to time on party and also personal work) say “voter rolls” overestimate Muslim households in Malda region.
Often TMC workers (and possibly voters) have connections to both the places Malda and Coochbehar. They do not share details (whether multiple voters cards)
Malda is a well known ‘entry’ point for Bangladeshis. The locality stretches a 170-km unfenced border.
Muslim population in 2001 was – 16,36,000
This shot up to 20,45,000 in 2011 (25 per cent rise)
In 2021 – the rise was again by 25 per cent – numbers jumped to around 26,000
(Making it clear this could not be natural growth in population)
In Coochbehar (some pockets – under Sitai and Dinhata assembly segments – political activists say –
Voter’s names remain on voter lists even after they move to Malda and Siliguri and in some cases even outside West Bengal.
This is Malda-trend, locals say.
Notably, Malda has one of India’s top districts for “outmigration” for jobs and also natural disasters such as floods.
BJP workers say – whenever a Muslim rickshawallah or daily wage earner (informal workers) say their ‘home town or native village’ is Malda – they should be suspect as illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.
Madrasas and others who “help” Bangladeshis teach the new comers to say so whenever they are confronted by any officials or political activists like from the RSS.
Bengali Muslim Rickshawallahs or even auto drivers and daily labourers may not carry enough cash or cloth. But they have a card – Voter’s Card or something else readily available and handy.
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| Coochbehar palace |
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