Rejinagar (Murshidabad): Naoda MLA Humayun Kabir, chairperson of Aam Janata Unnayan Party, sparked fresh controversy on Monday, threatening to block NH-12 for five hours on Dec 6, at the very site where he has decided to build a “Babri Masjid”.Kabir had gone quiet ever since his party lost the Rejinagar bypoll to BJP. He had said he would retire from active politics and settle in Dubai on a golden visa.His brief silence broke with Monday’s announcement to block NH-12 on Dec 6, to mark the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya on Dec 6, 1992.“Lakhs of Muslim brothers will gather at the site at Maradighi. The 30-km stretch of the NH from Rejinagar to Behrampore will be blocked for 4-5 hours. Let the police stop us if they can,” Kabir said.He added that his followers would take to the streets from Krishnanagar, Jalangi, Saithia and Burdwan to converge near Behrampore, adding that they would not breach peace.The AJUP founder further said the mosque he was building would be completed by Dec 10, 2028, and that it would be constructed at a cost of around Rs 87 crore.“It (the mosque) will accommodate 80,000 people offering namaz at a time. Rooms are being constructed in the basement where visitors can stay on rent,” he said.BJP Rejinagar MLA Shankharav Sarkar reacted sharply to Kabir’s threats saying constituents of Rejinagar had lost interest in the “Babri rhetoric”.Sarkar added that he would help build a mosque in the area but would not allow one named after Babur.Congress’s Jayanta Das called the controversy a “joint strategy” of BJP and AJUP to polarise voters.NCPI MP Abu Taher Khan said Kabir was trying to position himself as a messiah for Muslims by misusing sentiments surrounding Babri Masjid.Police have heightened vigilance in the area.(With inputs from agencies)
