The Calcutta High Court on Friday refused to interfere in a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking to stop the foundation stone laying of the proposed ‘Babri’ mosque in Murshidabad by expelled Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Humayun Kabir. With the court declining to issue a stay, there is now no legal barrier to the ceremony scheduled for December 6.
A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Parthasarathi Sen, however, directed the West Bengal government to ensure that no unrest breaks out in the area during the process. The bench also instructed the Centre to support the state administration in maintaining law and order.
Advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, representing the petitioner, argued that the proposed ceremony could trigger communal tension in Beldanga. “We fear that communal unrest may spread again in Murshidabad on December 6,” he told the court, warning that the event could escalate into major disturbance.
Countering the claim, Advocate General Kishore Dutta assured the court that adequate police deployment was already in place. “The state administration is monitoring the situation to ensure there is no deterioration in law and order,” he said.
Deputy Solicitor General Rajdeep Majumdar, appearing for the Centre, informed the court that the region had witnessed unrest earlier, prompting the deployment of 19 companies of the CISF to prevent any flare-up.
Following the submissions, the High Court directed the state government to maintain “strict control” over the situation, reinforce police presence in vulnerable pockets, and work in tandem with central forces. “The recent harmony must not be disturbed in any way,” the bench said.
Speaking after the hearing, Kabir’s counsel Subhasish Dasgupta noted that his client had given a written undertaking to the court. “We have pledged not to engage in anything that disrupts peace and order. The court has also instructed the police to keep close watch,” he stated.
Kabir recently stirred controversy after announcing that a ‘Babri’ mosque would be built in Beldanga, with its foundation to be laid on December 6— the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition in Ayodhya. The declaration provoked backlash, leading the TMC to distance itself from him before expelling him on Thursday.
The tensions come against the backdrop of violent incidents in Dhulian and Shamsherganj earlier this year over opposition to the amended Waqf Act, during which arson, vandalism and attacks on property were reported. The High Court had then ordered the deployment of central forces to restore order in Murshidabad.
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