High Alert in Murshidabad as Suspended TMC MLA Presses Ahead with Mosque Plan
A senior officer said nearly 3,000 personnel would be deployed, with diversion plans ready if turnout threatens to choke the highway.
Baharampur (WB): West Bengal braces for a politically fraught Saturday as suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir pushes ahead with the foundation-laying ceremony for a Babri Masjid-style mosque in Murshidabad, triggering high alert and sharpened political messaging on a date laden with communal sensitivities.
The Beldanga site, where Kabir claimed three lakh people would assemble, has been sealed into a high-security grid, with deployment of RAF, district police, and central forces on both sides of National Highway 12, after the Calcutta High Court declined to halt the event but placed full responsibility for public order on the state government.
The proposed mosque, which Kabir has repeatedly described as being modelled on the Babri Masjid, has stirred political unease in a district where symbolism and mobilisation often feed off each other.
For the TMC — which has distanced itself after suspending Kabir — the optics of the foundation-laying ceremony on December 6, the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition, carry political risks.
Security arrangements have been significantly intensified. RAF teams arrived in Rejinagar on Friday and were stationed at a local school ahead of deployment, while the district police have mapped out a full security grid across Beldanga, Raninagar and all approach roads to NH-12.
A senior officer said nearly 3,000 personnel would be deployed, with diversion plans ready if turnout threatens to choke the highway.
On Friday, the Calcutta High Court declined to halt the event and placed the onus of maintaining order on the state government, leading police to initiate backchannel talks with Kabir's team.
Governor C V Ananda Bose urged citizens not to be swayed by provocative statements or rumours and asked the administration to ensure peace.
Kabir — a Congress-BJP-turned-TMC rebel — sees the event as both a test of his mobilisation capabilities and a statement of defiance following his suspension for what the party termed communal politics. He has announced he will resign as MLA and launch his own outfit later this month.
On Friday, Kabir personally supervised preparations at the venue, which now resembles a large public fair. A massive dais has been erected, with seating for 400 guests.
Organisers claim two clerics from Saudi Arabia will attend, arriving in a special convoy from Kolkata airport.
Nearly 3,000 volunteers have been deployed to manage crowds and ensure uninterrupted traffic on the national highway.
Seven Murshidabad-based caterers have been contracted to prepare shahi biryani, with 40,000 packets for guests and another 20,000 for residents. Food expenses alone are estimated at over Rs 30 lakh, with total venue costs expected to reach Rs 70 lakh.
The programme schedule lists Quran recitation at 10 am, the foundation ceremony at noon, a community meal at 2 pm, and dispersal by 4 pm as per police directives.
Meanwhile, the ruling TMC will observe Samhati Diwas (Unity Day) across the state, promoting communal harmony. The state government has declared a holiday, signalling a message of restraint.
The Left Front will observe the day as Black Day, highlighting how December 6 remains a deep political faultline.
As Bengal enters a Saturday charged with symbolism, security, and political narratives, Beldanga becomes the centre of attention — where faith, defiance, and electoral calculations intersect.
Whether the event remains peaceful or sparks tensions will test both the district's security apparatus and the broader political climate of the state.
