Murshidabad: A video wherein former Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir allegedly claimed that the BJP had signed a Rs 1,000-crore take care of him to defeat Mamata Banerjee and that he was in contact with senior BJP leaders in West Bengal has created a political storm within the state simply 11 days earlier than the elections.
The controversy led Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), which had fashioned an alliance with Kabir’s Aam Janata Unnayan Get together (AJUP) forward of the elections, to interrupt away. This improvement not solely places a query mark over Mr. Kabir’s political future but in addition the destiny of the masjid he’s constructing at Beldanga in Murshidabad.
Kabir was expelled from the Trinamool Congress in December 2025, shortly after he introduced that he would elevate funds from the Muslim neighborhood and construct a masjid modeled on the now-demolished Ayodhya Babri Masjid. This triggered fairly a stir locally.
A month later, Kabir launched the Aam Janata Unnayan Get together (AJUP) and introduced that it might contest the following parliamentary elections. AJUP acquired a lift after Owiasi fashioned an alliance with AJUP and the 2 events determined to contest 192 of the 294 seats. This association is presently in turmoil after the video leaked.
The AJUP-AIMIM alliance envisioned itself as a substitute political platform for the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and, to some extent, Bengal’s Muslims, who had been gravitating in the direction of the Congress after the collapse of the Left-led authorities that dominated for 34 years in 2011. The alliance between AJUP and AIMIM had the potential to separate the Muslim vote in Bengal.
Babri Masjid Promise
Kabir’s announcement to construct the Babri Masjid attracted consideration within the state, the place Muslims account for 27% of the inhabitants.
He advised ThePrint in Murshidabad final week that preparatory work for the development of the masjid has already begun. The West Bengal Islamic Basis of India, the belief he set as much as implement the undertaking, has already acquired about eight acres of personal land in Beldanga for Rs 13 billion.
The development price of the whole masjid will likely be round Rs 86 billion, Kabir stated.
On the scene, a board with the phrases ‘Babri Masjid’ written on it appeared. Preparatory work has begun. The bottom the place the masjid will seem has been dug and a boundary wall is being constructed. A Babri Masjid Committee was established to supervise the day-to-day operations. The committee additionally has an workplace throughout the masjid premises.
“We plan to finish the masjid by 2030. Attributable to mannequin code of conduct, all building actions are presently on maintain. Work will resume after Could 4. All of the work executed to this point has been executed with cash donated by the general public,” Kabir stated.
The placement of this masjid has develop into a serious attraction for native residents, who go to it in giant numbers on daily basis. Tents have been arrange on the website, and round 50 to 100 folks from neighboring districts in addition to Assam and different states flock to the location on daily basis to observe the development progress. There are a number of meals stalls arrange on the venue and the occasion is vigorous. When ThePrint visited the location early within the night final week, there have been almost 100 guests there.
Monirul Kabiraj, who lives within the neighboring Nadia district, was considered one of them. He had come along with his household to go to the masjid website. “Babri Masjid is a matter of religion for us. I had heard in regards to the Masjid from a good friend, so I got here with my household to see what is occurring right here.”
Aminal Islam, a resident of Khargram village in Murshidabad, was one other customer. Osram stated he was in Beldanga for a marriage and determined to make the most of the chance to go to the masjid website.
Kabir advised ThePrint that he would ultimately purchase 19 acres of land subsequent to the masjid and construct a 500-bed hospital and different services for Muslims. “The general undertaking price will likely be round Rs 500 million. Just like the masjid, all these services will likely be constructed with donations from the general public.”
However Friday’s incident forged a cloud over the undertaking’s future.
(Edited by Vinny Mishra)
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