Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], December 6 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of deliberately fuelling religious polarisation in the state by allowing suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Humayun Kabir to polarise Muslims.
This comes after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) suspended West Bengal MLA Humayun Kabir on Thursday over his remarks, in which he claimed he would inaugurate a Babri Masjid in the state's Murshidabad district today.
The BJP questioned the delay in Kabir's suspension, pointing out that he had earlier made statements threatening Hindus, saying Muslims constitute 70 per cent and Hindus merely 30 per cent in the district. They alleged that the move was politically motivated rather than a religious initiative, and warned that Mamata Banerjee's inaction could risk instability in the state.
Sharing a video on X, the West Bengal BJP cited the Bengali proverb "Dhori Machh Naa Chhui Paani", which refers to "getting something done without getting your hands dirty".
"Mamata Banerjee has decided to polarise Muslims in West Bengal through her MLA Humayun Kabir, while distancing herself from him. In this video, we see Muslims carrying bricks to build the BABRI MASJID in Beldanga. This is a project started by now suspended @AitcOfficial MLA Humayun Kabir," the post read.
https://x.com/BJP4Bengal/status/1997184050394702239
"Why did she not suspend him earlier when he threatened Hindus by saying Muslims are 70 per cent and Hindus merely 30 per cent in Murshidabad?" the party asked in its post.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Amit Malviya also criticised the Chief Minister, saying she was "playing with fire" in a region known for its delicate communal balance.
In a post on X, he wrote, "West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is playing with fire. Reports emerging from Beldanga in Murshidabad have triggered serious concern, with Mamata Banerjee using 'suspended' TMC MLA Humayun Kabir to polarise Muslim sentiment for political gain. According to local accounts, groups of Kabir's Muslim supporters have been seen carrying bricks to construct what he claims will be a Babri Masjid, and he has further claimed that the West Bengal Police are backing him and have provided security for the activity."
Emphasising the sensitivity of the area, he said Beldanga has a fraught record of clashes and warned that unrest there could escalate rapidly.
"Any organised disturbance could lead to a blockade of NH-12, which connects North Bengal to the rest of the state. Such a scenario would have grave implications for law and order and may even impact national security," he said.
https://x.com/amitmalviya/status/1997182688437088573
Malviya said the construction claim was not a religious initiative but a political strategy intended to inflame sentiments and strengthen electoral constituencies and warned that such moves risked destabilising West Bengal's social fabric and deepening communal divisions.
"This so-called mosque project is not a religious effort but a political one, designed to inflame emotions and consolidate vote banks. Far from serving the community, they warn it poses a serious threat to Bengal's stability, risking heightened tensions and even the fragmentation of the state's social fabric," he wrote.
The BJP leader alleged that Mamata Banerjee's approach to the issue reflected calculated political intent rather than a commitment to preserving harmony in the state. "But she will not stop at anything, even if it means pushing West Bengal towards turmoil," the party added.