Vishva Hindu Parishad has written to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seeking the immediate registration of a first information report against suspended Trinamool Congress legislator Humayun Kabir, accusing him of making a provocative claim linked to the Babri Masjid and of laying a so-called foundation stone in Murshidabad district. The letter, sent on Monday, alleges that the act and accompanying statements threaten communal harmony and violate the law, prompting calls for swift police action.
The organisation’s communication contends that Kabir’s conduct amounts to a deliberate attempt to inflame religious sentiment by invoking the Babri Masjid, the mosque demolished in Ayodhya in 1992 whose legacy continues to carry deep emotional and legal weight across the country. According to the letter, the alleged foundation-laying ceremony took place in Murshidabad, a district with a history of communal sensitivity, and was projected as an assertion connected to the Babri Masjid. VHP argues that such actions, regardless of their legal validity, have the potential to disturb public order and undermine the rule of law.
VHP seeks police action over Murshidabad act, the group wrote in its representation, asserting that the police are duty-bound to act suo motu when speech or actions risk incitement. The letter urges the state government to ensure that an FIR is lodged under relevant sections dealing with promoting enmity between groups, deliberate acts intended to outrage religious feelings, and unlawful assembly, if applicable. It further claims that inaction would send a damaging signal at a time when authorities are expected to maintain strict neutrality and vigilance.
Humayun Kabir, who has been suspended by the Trinamool Congress following earlier controversies, has been a polarising figure in Murshidabad politics. While details of the alleged event remain contested, the VHP maintains that visuals and local accounts point to a publicised ceremony that went beyond private expression. The organisation’s letter stresses that the issue is not theological debate but the use of a highly charged symbol in a public act, which it says crosses legal red lines.
The Trinamool Congress has distanced itself from Kabir since his suspension, emphasising that his actions do not reflect party policy. Party leaders have repeatedly said disciplinary measures were taken to prevent individual statements from escalating into broader tensions. The party has not issued a detailed response to the VHP letter, though senior figures have underlined the state government’s commitment to law and order and communal peace.
From the state administration’s perspective, the matter places renewed focus on policing and preventive action in Murshidabad, a border district that has witnessed episodes of tension in the past. Officials have often pointed to intelligence-led monitoring and rapid response mechanisms as tools to defuse flashpoints. Any decision on registering an FIR will depend on preliminary assessments by law-enforcement agencies, including whether the alleged acts meet the legal threshold for cognisable offences.
Legal experts note that courts have consistently held that freedom of speech does not extend to actions that incite violence or hatred. The Supreme Court’s jurisprudence has stressed the state’s obligation to act against speech or conduct that poses a clear and present danger to public order. At the same time, the law requires due process, including verification of facts and intent, before criminal proceedings are initiated. This balance often places police and prosecutors under intense scrutiny in politically charged cases.
The Babri Masjid dispute remains one of the most sensitive chapters in modern political history. Although the legal contest over the Ayodhya site concluded with a Supreme Court verdict awarding the land for the construction of a Ram temple while directing an alternative plot for a mosque, references to the mosque continue to evoke strong reactions. Groups across the spectrum have urged restraint in invoking the issue outside its settled legal context.
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