Will focus only on religious activities from the day Mamata Banerjee quits politics: Humayun Kabir

Kolkata, Dec 28
Suspended Trinamool Congress legislator Humayun Kabir, who has floated his own political outfit, Janata Unnayan Party (JUP), on Sunday, said that he would be concentrating only on religious activities the day West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee quits politics.

Kabir said this in a video message, reacting to an observation made by Trinamool Congress general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee that any individual has the liberty to initiate the construction of any religious structure after quitting politics.

Although Abhishek Banerjee did not name anyone, his clear hint was towards Kabir, who had not only floated his own political party but had also announced the setting up of a Babri Mosque at Beldanga in Murshidabad district, political observers said.

The proposed mosque will be in line with the original construction at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, which was demolished on December 6, 1992.

Hitting back, Kabir released a video message, saying he would follow Abhishek Banerjee's advice if the latter convinces his aunt, Mamata Banerjee, to quit politics and refrain from contesting the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.

"At the same time, I request Abhishek Banerjee to convince his aunt to shift to the Lord Jagannath temple at Digha, which she had constructed, and concentrate on religious activities there. If she does that, I promise you and the people of West Bengal, I will only concentrate on the Babri mosque and refrain from any sort of political activity," Kabir said in the video message.

Kabir also said that if CM Mamata does that, he will also quit his party and hand over that responsibility to someone else.

The Digha temple, as claimed by the Chief Minister, is in line with the iconic Shri Jagannath Dham temple in Odisha's Puri. The Digha temple has been shrouded in controversy since the beginning for multiple reasons.

In his message, he also challenged Abhishek Banerjee to project himself as the Chief Minister of West Bengal in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.

"If you get the public mandate, you will become the next Chief Minister of West Bengal. On one hand, your aunt will continue constructing temples, spending money from the public exchequer, and on the other hand, you will advise me to concentrate on religious activities after quitting politics. Remember, public money is not the personal property of the Chief Minister. You prove how much you are acceptable to the people of West Bengal,” Kabir said.

"Babri Mosque proposed by me is being built not from public money but from donations given by the people from the Muslim community. This proves how anti-Muslim you are. The Muslim community will give you a proper reply in the coming days,” Kabir said.


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