Kolkata, Dec 5 The Calcutta High Court on Friday declined to act on a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging suspended Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir’s announcement to construct a “Babri Mosque” in Beldanga, Murshidabad, modeled on the erstwhile structure in Ayodhya.
A division bench of Calcutta High Court’s Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen, while refusing to entertain the plea, directed Kabir to organise the stone-laying programme of the proposed mosque on December 6 strictly in accordance with law-and-order norms.
The division bench also directed the West Bengal government and the police administration to ensure that the law & order situation is not disrupted due to the event.
The state government counsel informed the court that the police administration would take all necessary steps to follow the court's directions.
Arguing on behalf of the petitioner on Friday, senior advocate and the CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, submitted that the proposed event could trigger serious law & order problems in the sensitive area.
“The area where the proposed programme has been slated is highly sensitive. There had been records of tension and violence in that area in the past. Even the central armed forces personnel had to be deployed there then,” Bhattacharya argued.
The division bench, thereafter, also directed the Union Government to cooperate with the state government in maintaining law & order on the day of the event.
Controversy has also escalated over the land at Beldanga in Murshidabad district, which Kabir identified as the proposed construction site. The landowner, a farmer in Murshidabad, has publicly declared that he will neither sell the land nor allow anyone to build a Babri Masjid on it.
He has also set up a boundary wall around the property. Kabir, however, issued a strong challenge, saying he would "give his life" to ensure the Babri Masjid is built if necessary.
On Thursday, the Trinamool Congress suspended Kabir from the party. Announcing the action, Urban Development Minister and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim said Kabir’s remarks amounted to stoking religious sentiments and constituted a serious breach of party discipline.
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