Kolkata: West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress on Thursday suspended Bharatpur MLA Humayun Kabir after he stirred a major controversy by proposing the construction of a ‘Babri Masjid’ in Murshidabad. Kabir had also announced that the foundation stone for the mosque would be laid in Beldanga on December 6, triggering political unrest.
Senior TMC leader and state minister Firhad Hakim announced the suspension, calling Kabir’s actions “gross indiscipline” at a time when the party was focused on maintaining peace and communal harmony. Hakim said Kabir’s remarks amounted to indulging in communal politics, something the party strongly opposes. He confirmed that the decision came directly from the party’s top leadership.
Kabir was present at a ground in Baharampur—where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to speak—when the announcement was made. Reacting to the suspension, he described the move as a “deliberate humiliation” and declared that he would resign as an MLA. He also revealed plans to launch a new political party on December 22.
Kabir added that his new outfit would contest 135 of the 294 Assembly seats in next year’s state elections. He accused the TMC of misleading minorities and claimed the party shared a secret understanding with the RSS and BJP. He reiterated that the December 6 programme would proceed as planned and vowed to launch a dharna and face arrest if the administration attempted to stop him.
Kabir, known for switching political loyalties and previously part of the Congress and BJP, asserted that lakhs of supporters would attend the event, potentially blocking the crucial NH-12 highway linking Kolkata and Siliguri.
Reacting to the development, state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya dismissed the suspension as a political “drama,” accusing the TMC of tolerating Kabir’s controversial remarks for years. He alleged that the ruling party wanted to “establish the rule of Babur in Bengal.”
