Kolkata: Murshidabad has produced many illustrious personalities and any facility could be named after them, but “nothing in Babar’s name”, CM Suvendu Adhikari has said, prompting a fast U-turn by Nowda MLA Humayun Kabir, who said “the CM’s wish must be respected”.Speaking at Nabanna on Wednesday, Adhikari said: “There are many distinguished people in Murshidabad. You can build it in their names. But if the name of Babar is associated with it, then no plan or permission will be granted. Clear instructions have been given to the district magistrate regarding this.”Tensions had escalated on Nov 2 during a financial review meeting held on the Beldanga mosque premises. Kabir had threatened to blockade NH-34 on Dec 6 — the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition — challenging the local administration to stop him if they had the power. He claimed he would hold a 30-km stretch of the highway, from Rejinagar to Behrampore, under his control.The CM’s directive to the DM at an administrative review meeting came in this backdrop.Kabir reversed his stance on Thursday morning. “He is the administrative head of the state. If he does not want the name ‘Babri’, there is no choice but to respect his wishes,” he said.Kabir added that Adhikari had personally asked him on multiple occasions to rename the mosque. He claimed the CM made this request in the assembly on May 18, and again at Nabanna on Aug 5, even suggesting alternative names such as Kazi Nazrul Islam, Siraj-ud-Daulah or APJ Abdul Kalam.“I cannot take the decision to change the name alone,” Kabir said. “Our trust has a meeting on Dec 6. If the trustees agree, further action will follow,” he added.Meanwhile, taking a sharp dig at Kabir, BJP MLA Sajal Ghosh dismissed the developments as “erratic behavior”. “There will be no Babri Masjid at all. He says one thing during the day and something else at night. At one point, he had claimed he would move to Dubai,” Ghosh said.Ghosh was referring to Kabir’s earlier declaration to leave the country for Dubai after his son, Golam Nabi Azad, lost the Rejinagar assembly bypoll as an AJUP candidate.
