Suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Humayun Kabir has ignited a fresh political controversy in West Bengal by alleging systematic police harassment. This follows his act of laying the foundation stone for a Babri-style mosque in Murshidabad district. With the crucial 2026 Bengal Assembly elections on the horizon, Kabir has made explosive claims about a significant shift in minority votes away from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's TMC to his newly formed Janata Unnayan Party (JUP).
Allegations of Targeted Harassment and Political Vendetta
Kabir stated that the police machinery began targeting him and his family immediately after the mosque foundation ceremony. He drew a sharp contrast with the state government's own religious projects. "Since the day I laid the foundation stone for the Babri-style masjid, the police have been after me," Kabir alleged. "Why is there no role of the police today when the Chief Minister lays the foundation stone of a Durgaangan?"
The allegations intensified after the Saktipur police detained his son, Ghulam Nabi Azad (Robin), on December 28, 2025, over accusations of assaulting Kabir's Personal Security Officer (PSO). Although his son was later released, Kabir claimed the police attempted to apply non-bailable sections. He also accused the police of harassing his daughter's in-laws in Lalgola, alleging officers were surveying their properties with a measuring tape for days without proper notice.
2026 Elections: A Battle for Minority Votes and Hindu-Muslim Divide
Positioning himself as the new champion for Muslims in Bengal, Kabir made a bold prediction about the upcoming electoral battle. "In 2026, the minority vote will come to us. Mamata Banerjee will not get it," he declared. He announced plans to field around 200 candidates, with 90 being Muslim candidates, under his JUP banner.
Kabir framed the 2026 contest as a clear-cut religious divide, accusing both the TMC and the BJP of practicing Hindu-centric politics. "In 2026, it will be Hindus versus Muslims. Suvendu (Adhikari) is doing Hindu politics and Mamata is also doing Hindu appeasement — Jagannath, Durga Carnival, Durga Puja doles," he said, asserting that the division between Hindu and Muslim votes would be starkly visible.
Questioning Government Funds and Alleging BJP-TMC Understanding
Launching a dual attack, Kabir questioned the use of public money for state-sponsored projects like 'Durgaangan' and criticized the opposition BJP's muted response. "Government money cannot be spent like this. Why is the BJP quiet now? Why are they not going to court?" he asked.
He concluded that this silence pointed to a covert understanding between the two major political forces in the state. "Then it must be understood that Mamata Banerjee and the BJP have some understanding," Kabir stated, adding that the state administration was "completely spineless" and acted only on the Chief Minister's orders. He also countered TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee's remark that religious places should be built outside politics, saying the same standard should apply to the Chief Minister.
The series of allegations from the suspended MLA, who was once a part of the TMC's minority outreach, sets the stage for a complex and communally charged political discourse in Bengal as the election year approaches. His claims of police victimization and predictions of a realignment in the minority vote bank add new layers to the state's already volatile political landscape.
