KOLKATA: Security has been tightened in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district ahead of a contentious foundation-laying ceremony planned by suspended Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir, who has announced he will inaugurate a structure named “Babri Masjid” in Beldanga on Saturday. Safiqul Islam, a resident of Uttar Barasat, was seen carrying bricks on his head, saying his contribution would go toward the mosque’s construction. Kabir is expected to be present along with around 2,000 volunteers. By Friday afternoon, security forces had begun assembling at Beldanga police station, with authorities signalling that they were preparing for a sensitive day. The Calcutta high court, responding to a public interest petition, directed the Bengal government to take all necessary steps to prevent any communal unrest linked to the event. In its order, a division bench led by Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul said the state must “strictly maintain” law and order in the region and ensure the safety of residents. The court noted that the government had already mobilised a significant force. According to the state’s submissions, multiple layers of security have been deployed: 19 companies of CISF are stationed in the area, while Rapid Action Force units and local police have spread out through Rejinagar and surrounding neighbourhoods. Two companies of the BSF remain on standby to secure the nearby NH-12 highway. In all, more than 3,500 personnel are expected to be on the ground. Kabir, who was suspended by his party on Thursday, was questioned for several hours at Rejinagar police station on Friday evening. But earlier in the day he continued to oversee preparations. He told reporters that around 30,000 packets of biryani were being arranged for attendees and insisted the programme would be peaceful, non-political and limited to religious recitation. “There will be no speeches, no party flags, no politics. The Quran will be read for two hours. This is not something new,” he said, claiming support from various clerical groups in the region. The TMC has sought to distance itself from the event, with spokesperson Kunal Ghosh alleging a “conspiracy” by the party’s political rivals to discredit it ahead of an election year. Local residents say they are watching the situation with a mix of apprehension and curiosity as security patrols intensify around Beldanga. Authorities have appealed for calm, urging people to avoid circulating rumours and to cooperate with law enforcement on a day that could test the district’s communal resilience.
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