West Bengal’s political landscape is ablaze following a series of announcements that have ignited a religious and political firestorm in Murshidabad district. The BJP’s Murshidabad unit has declared its intention to construct a Ram temple in Berhampore, a project slated to commence on January 22nd, 2025 – exactly one year after the inauguration of the Ayodhya Ram Temple. This ambitious undertaking, estimated to cost ₹10 crore, has already secured land, according to BJP’s Berhampore organisational district president, Shakharav Sarkar, who stated the temple’s design will mirror that of the Ayodhya temple.
This announcement comes on the heels of a controversial statement by TMC MLA Humayun Kabir, who proposed the construction of a mosque in Beldanga, Murshidabad, reminiscent of the Babri Masjid. Kabir justified his proposal as a tribute to the region’s significant Muslim population, emphasizing it would represent the aspirations of the state’s 34 percent minority community. His statement, however, has drawn intense backlash, with Kabir subsequently defending his remarks as an expression of the pain felt by Muslims over the demolition of the Babri Masjid, denying any intention to incite division.
The BJP has vehemently criticized Kabir’s statement. State BJP President Dilip Kumar Jaiswal condemned the proposal as an act of “appeasement politics,” stating that anyone is free to build places of worship without obstruction. BJP MP Dinesh Sharma went further, accusing the TMC government of fostering a ‘Babar mentality,’ alleging the mosque proposal reflects a broader ideological agenda. The TMC, however, has attempted to distance itself from Kabir’s remarks, with senior party leaders characterizing his statement as a ‘personal matter’ and unrelated to the party’s official stance.
The contrasting announcements – the BJP’s planned Ram temple and the TMC MLA’s proposed mosque – highlight the deep religious and political divides within West Bengal. The timing of the announcements, so close together, only serves to intensify the political sparring between the ruling TMC and the opposition BJP. This event is likely to dominate the political discourse in the state for the foreseeable future, with implications for the upcoming elections and the broader communal harmony in the region. The situation underscores the complex interplay of religion and politics in India and the potential for such announcements to escalate tensions.
