The BJP's Murshidabad unit in West Bengal has announced plans to build a Ram temple in Berhampore, just days after TMC MLA Humayun Kabir proposed constructing a mosque, modeled after the Babri Masjid, in Beldanga, within the same district.
The BJP said the temple will begin construction on January 22, 2025, marking one year after the Ram temple in Ayodhya was inaugurated. Shakharav Sarkar, BJP's Berhampore district president, confirmed that the land for the temple has been identified, and the project will cost an estimated Rs 10 crore.
"We have found land in Berhampore, and construction of the Ram temple, based on Ayodhya's design, will begin soon," Sarkar told reporters.
Kabir, the TMC MLA from Beldanga, had proposed the mosque on Tuesday, claiming it would respect the sentiments of the area's large minority population. His suggestion has sparked controversy, with opposition parties accusing him of trying to divide communities for political gain.
The BJP's plan to build a Ram temple is viewed as a move to gain support from the Hindu community in Murshidabad, where minorities make up about 75 per cent of the population.
In response to the controversy, the TMC distanced itself from Kabir's comments, calling them his personal opinion. "The TMC has nothing to do with this statement of Kabir," said a senior party leader.
Kabir's proposal has also faced criticism from the Congress, which accused him of stirring divisive politics in a sensitive region.
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