HC declines to stop Babri Masjid foundation work, state forces on alert
The Statesman | 6 December 2025
The Calcutta High Court on Friday declined to intervene in the proposed foundation-laying ceremony of a Babri Masjid in Murshidabad, effectively clearing the way for suspended Trinamul Congress MLA Humayun Kabir to go ahead with his 6 December programme at Beldanga. The Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Pal and Justice Parthasarathi Sen refused to stay the event, while directing the state to ensure adequate security arrangements in the area.
A petition had sought immediate action against Kabir and a halt to the programme, citing heightened communal tension. The court, however, said it would not obstruct the MLA’s announced initiative, leaving the responsibility of maintaining law and order entirely with the state administration. The judges also took note of the plea for heightened security in Beldanga on the day of the event. Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya reminded the court that Murshidabad had witnessed severe unrest earlier over the Centre’s new Waqf Act. “The question of harmony arose even during the Ram Mandir movement. There is every possibility of communal tension. The state must ensure the safety of the people,” he submitted.
The state government informed the court that necessary forces had already been deployed and that a total of 28 police stations in Murshidabad had been placed on alert. It further assured that security arrangements would be strengthened as required. Central forces stationed in the district—19 companies deployed since the disturbances earlier this year—may also be used, the court was told. Kabir, suspended from the Trinamul Congress only a day earlier, visited the proposed site on Friday morning. “I am doing nothing unconstitutional,” he asserted. “When the high court has said I am not committing any illegal act, the state administration will naturally assist me. I will have around two thousand volunteers. I will cooperate fully with the administration.” The development triggered sharp political reactions.
Leader of Opposition in Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari accused the ruling Trinamul Congress of fomenting politics of provocation. “Is the Chief Minister encouraging him? Is Humayun Kabir acting at her behest? These questions must be asked,” he said. With the court’s refusal to interfere and both state and central forces on standby, the spotlight now shifts to Beldanga, where security agencies brace for a sensitive weekend as Kabir prepares to lay the foundation stone for the proposed mosque.