Political and social tensions have escalated in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district following the announcement of a new mosque project styled after the demolished Babri Masjid. Humayun Kabir, the chief of the Janata Unnayan Party (JUP) and an expelled Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader, has officially declared that the construction will commence at 12:00 PM on February 11, 2026. The proposed site in Beldanga is currently witness to large-scale preparations for the groundbreaking ceremony.

Grand Launch Ceremony: To mark the beginning of the construction, a massive religious gathering has been planned. Starting at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, nearly 1,200 individuals are expected to participate in a collective Quran recitation. This will be followed by the formal inauguration of the construction work at noon. Earlier, the site had already drawn thousands for Friday prayers and a massive feast, signaling a high level of mobilization.

The Political Backdrop: Kabir had first laid the symbolic foundation of this mosque in Rejinagar on December 6, a date historically significant to the Babri Masjid issue. Political analysts view this move as a strategic attempt at polarization ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections. While Kabir maintains that the project is a matter of religious sentiment, opposition parties have criticized it as a deliberate effort to stir communal waters for electoral gains.

Security and Administration: Local authorities are on high alert to ensure that the event does not disrupt communal harmony in the sensitive Murshidabad district. Police deployment has been increased around the construction site in Beldanga to manage the expected crowd of thousands. As the construction begins tomorrow, all eyes are on the state government’s response to this provocative development.