The Calcutta High Court on Friday issued a firm directive to the West Bengal government, ordering it to take all necessary steps to prevent any communal disturbance in Murshidabad district. The order comes ahead of a planned foundation-laying ceremony for a proposed mosque, an event organized by suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Humayun Kabir and scheduled for Saturday, December 6.
Court's Directive and State's Assurance
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen disposed of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) concerning the event. The bench emphasized that the state must act in accordance with its stand and strictly maintain the law-and-order situation in Murshidabad. The judges explicitly stated that the lives and properties of citizens must be protected at all costs.
Advocate-General Kishore Datta informed the court that the state administration had already deployed adequate security forces to thwart any attempts to disturb peace. Adding to this, Deputy Solicitor-General Rajdeep Majumdar stated that 19 companies of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) were stationed in the area as a precautionary measure.
Massive Security Deployment in Rejinagar
In response to the potential for tension, a substantial security contingent has been mobilized. Authorities have fanned out a 3,500-strong force, including units of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), across Rejinagar and its surrounding areas. Furthermore, two companies of the Border Security Force (BSF) have been placed on standby to secure National Highway-12, ensuring connectivity and quick movement if required.
The timing of the event is sensitive, as it coincides with the anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. This planned ceremony follows by just eight months a previous bout of communal violence in Murshidabad, which was triggered by protests against the Wakf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
Defiant MLA and Political Reactions
Despite his suspension from the TMC just a day prior, Humayun Kabir remained defiant. On Friday, he supervised arrangements for the Saturday event, instructing his team to arrange 30,000 packets of biryani for expected guests. He also met with splinter groups from the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind and the All Bengal Imam Muezzin Association.
Kabir described the program as a non-political religious gathering. "The main programme will start at noon. The Quran will be read for two hours. There will be no speeches, no political representation, no party flags, and no political canards," he told reporters. He claimed he would be present with 2,000 volunteers.
However, in a significant development, Kabir was summoned to the Rejinagar police station on Friday evening and questioned for several hours, according to sources. Meanwhile, TMC spokesman Kunal Ghosh alleged a conspiracy by the party's main rivals to discredit the TMC as the state moves into an election year, suggesting the event was being used for political gains.
