Step For Self-Preservation? Why TMC Suspended Humayun Kabir Amid ‘Babri Masjid’ Row – Delhi News Daily

Suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Thursday suspended MLA Humayun Kabir who stoked a major controversy with remarks about building a mosque modelled on the Babri Masjid in Murshidabad. The move comes two days ahead of the MLA’s “foundation stone-laying ceremony” for the proposed structure.

Explaining the rationale behind the move, senior party minister Firhad Hakim said the TMC stands for secular politics and Kabir’s move was not in line with the party’s position. “If the programme takes place, the law will take its own course. Mamata Banerjee is a tough leader. We are a secular party; we do not believe in such activities. Anyone can build a temple or a mosque, but why in the name of Babar? This is nothing but a BJP plan,” he said.

Kabir had attended chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s meeting in Berhampore, but left immediately after receiving news of his suspension. Reacting to the development, he said: “I don’t care who says what. The people of Murshidabad will respond. I will launch my own party on December 22.”

Political insiders say the suspension decision was crucial as the proposed ceremony would have caused major embarrassment for the party. The TMC has consistently projected itself as a secular party, and being associated with the construction of a “Babri Masjid” in Bengal would have been used by the Opposition, particularly the BJP, to accuse the TMC of minority appeasement. By suspending Kabir before the event, the TMC has distanced itself from any responsibility or political fallout.

Also, Murshidabad is a minority dominated district that witnessed a major riot earlier this year. Any provocative act in the current climate carries the risk of triggering fresh tensions, experts said. Kabir has not secured land for the proposed project, and his statement, made while holding office as a TMC MLA, could have fanned the flames. The party leadership assessed that allowing such a programme under the TMC banner could lead to disturbances.

This is not the first time Kabir has made remarks that caused discomfort within the party. Last year, he faced criticism for a controversial comment about “throwing out 30 per cent Hindus”. The TMC had issued multiple show-cause notices in the past, but he reportedly did not adhere to the warnings. His latest announcement appears to have crossed a threshold for the leadership, insiders claim.

After the Murshidabad riots, a section of the Hindu population was already displeased with the party. Allowing Kabir to proceed could have further alienated this segment of the electorate. With his suspension, Kabir no longer carries the TMC’s political weight, and it remains to be seen how he proceeds from here.

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