Tensions flared in Murshidabad on Saturday as parallel religious foundation ceremonies were held by leaders from rival political parties, reigniting the Babri Masjid debate in West Bengal.

Days after suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Humayun Kabir performed the foundation-laying ceremony for a Babri Masjid structure in the district, local BJP leader Sakharov Sarkar organised Bhumi Puja and Shila Pratishtha for what he described as a replica of Ayodhya’s Ram Lala Temple.

BJP Leader Announces Ram Temple Replica with Social Facilities

Speaking at the event, Sarkar said the temple project would be built in Behrampore under a charitable trust and would include additional community services.

“We decided earlier that all rituals for the Ram temple would be performed on December 6. The replica we plan to build will be large and will also have a hospital and a school,” Sarkar said.

He added that the ceremony marked the beginning of the trust’s effort to establish the Ram Lala temple in Murshidabad.

TMC’s Humayun Kabir Defends Mosque Foundation Ceremony

Meanwhile, Humayun Kabir defended his decision to lay the foundation stone for a Babri Masjid structure in the same district. Kabir maintained that the Constitution grants citizens the right to establish places of worship, irrespective of political or religious differences.

“I am not doing anything unconstitutional. Anyone can build a temple or a church; I too can build a mosque,” he said.

Kabir cited Article 26(a) of the Constitution, which gives every religious denomination the right to establish and maintain religious and charitable institutions, subject to public order, morality and health.

Addressing his supporters, the former TMC MLA also referenced the Supreme Court’s 2019 Ayodhya ruling, saying that while the verdict favoured a Ram temple at the disputed site, it did not restrict the construction of mosques elsewhere. He added that he may announce a new political party on December 22 following his suspension from the TMC.

Political Tensions Rising in the District

The back-to-back ceremonies have heightened political and religious sensitivities in Murshidabad, a district known for its diverse communities. Both events drew sizeable gatherings and strong reactions from party workers on either side.

Image Source: Google | Image Credit: Respective Owner