Kolkata: Trinamool Congress suspended Humayun Kabir, the legislator from the Bharatapur Assembly constituency in minority-dominated Murshidabad district, on Thursday. He had recently announced plans to construct a Babri Mosque at Beldanga in the same district, resembling the structure in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, which was demolished in December 1992.
The West Bengal Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Minister and the Mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), Firhad Hakim, said the party had taken this decision because of his recent activities that smelt of politics with a religious fervour, which was deemed by the Trinamool Congress leadership as a severe breach of party discipline.
“The party will not maintain any connection with Kabir. By announcing the construction of the Babri Mosque, he had actually tried to reignite the bitter memories of the original Babri Mosque in 1992. We feel that the BJP has some role to play in his recent activities. We also feel that the BJP is trying to ignite divisive politics by keeping Kabir in the forefront,” Hakim said.
Reacting to the suspension decision, Kabir said that he would tender his resignation on Friday without making it clear whether he would resign from the party or the MLA seat or both.
“I will not react to what Hakim had said. I will tender my resignation tomorrow,” Kabir said.
Already, a public interest litigation has been filed before a division bench headed by Calcutta High Court’s Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul, challenging Kabir’s announcement to set up a Babri Mosque at Beldanga.
Controversy has also escalated over the land at Beldanga in Murshidabad district, which Kabir identified as the proposed construction site.
The landowner, a farmer from Murshidabad, has publicly declared that he will neither sell the land nor allow anyone to build a Babri Masjid on it.
He has also erected a boundary wall around the property. Kabir, however, issued a strong challenge, saying he would “give his life” to ensure the Babri Masjid is built if necessary.
In the past, Kabir had been cautioned several times by the Trinamool Congress leadership for alleged anti-party activities and making public comments causing embarrassment to the leadership. Now, finally, on Thursday, Trinamool Congress announced his suspension from the party.
(IANS)
