A massive security blanket has been thrown over parts of Murshidabad district in West Bengal, with authorities deploying over 3,500 police personnel, ahead of a controversial programme by suspended Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir to lay a foundation stone for a 'Babri Masjid'. The event is scheduled for Saturday in the Rejinagar and Bharatpur areas.
Unprecedented Security Deployment
The police force includes contingents of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) drawn from Krishnagore, Siliguri, and Behrampore. In a significant move, two companies of the Border Security Force (BSF) have been kept on standby to secure National Highway-12 from Friday night onwards, indicating the high alert status in the region.
On Friday evening, Kabir, who was suspended by the TMC just a day prior, was summoned to the Rejinagar Police Station. He was questioned for several hours by senior officers from the Hariharpara, Rejinagar, and Beldanga police stations. Despite the police scrutiny, a defiant Kabir spent the earlier part of the day supervising the erection of a pandal for Saturday's event and made arrangements, including ordering 30,000 packets of biryani for expected guests.
Kabir's Defiance and Political Manoeuvring
Addressing a press conference, Kabir outlined his plans, stating, "The main programme will start at noon. The Quran will be read for two hours. There will be no speeches, no political party representation, no political flags, and no political canards." He claimed he would be present with 2,000 volunteers and insisted the plan was declared a year ago, calling it nothing new.
However, his former party sees clear political motives. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh accused Kabir of being a "BJP mask" attempting to split minority votes. "When such an otherwise normal religious act is done with the sole motive to attain specific political goals, we will object," Ghosh stated in Kolkata. He highlighted Kabir's shifting political loyalties, questioning his "real aim" after his circuitous journey through Congress, TMC, BJP, and back to TMC.
Kabir has reiterated his intention to formally quit the TMC on December 17 and launch his own political party on December 22. His political career has been marked by volatility. He entered politics via the Youth Congress, won Rejinagar in 2011 for Congress, switched to TMC in 2012, was expelled for six years, joined BJP in 2018, and returned to TMC in 2021 to win the Bharatpur seat.
Political Repercussions and Analysis
While Kabir is known as one of Murshidabad's most unpredictable politicians, the TMC leadership downplays the impact of his exit. Their assessment is that his organizational influence is largely confined to the Bharatpur and Rejinagar areas, and his departure might affect the party "in at most a seat or two."
In the lead-up to the event, Kabir also met with splinter groups of the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind and the All Bengal Imam Muazzin Association. Earlier in June, he had claimed that AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi called him with an offer to join his party, which Kabir says he declined.
The state administration's decision to deploy such a significant force underscores the potential for tension surrounding the symbolic event. All eyes are now on Rejinagar as the district braces for Saturday's developments amidst a charged political atmosphere.
