Governor directs Bengal govt to maintain law and order after TMC MLA’s Babri Masjid remark

West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Tuesday directed the state government to take measures to maintain law and order following TMC MLA Humayun Kabirs recent claim that he would lay the foundation stone of a Babri Masjid in Murshidabad district on December 6.Bose said that if required, the administration should go for preventive arrests.Kabir announced last month that he would lay the foundation stone of a mosque modelled on Ayodhyas Babri Masjid in Murshidabad district on December 6, prompting the TMC to distance itself and the BJP to allege that attempts were being made to polarise the people.

West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Tuesday directed the state government to take measures to maintain law and order following TMC MLA Humayun Kabir's recent claim that he would lay the foundation stone of a 'Babri Masjid' in Murshidabad district on December 6.

Bose said that if required, the administration should go for preventive arrests.

Kabir announced last month that he would lay the foundation stone of a mosque modelled on Ayodhya's Babri Masjid in Murshidabad district on December 6, prompting the TMC to distance itself and the BJP to allege that attempts were being made to polarise the people. The mosque in the UP city was demolished by 'Kar Sevaks' on December 6, 1992, triggering a deep divide between Hindus and Muslims.

An official from Lok Bhavan (the new name of Raj Bhavan) told PTI that the governor issued a "strong directive" after expressing deep concern over the legislator's announcement.

"The governor is very, very concerned with the development in which an MLA has set a date to lay the foundation of a mosque naming Babri Masjid in Murshidabad. He has given a strong directive to the state government to take all preventive measures in this context," the official said.

Bose asked the administration to ensure law and order is maintained and to make preventive arrests if the situation warrants, the official added. The governor is "keeping a close watch" on the situation, he said.

Bose, who had visited Murshidabad earlier this year after communal clashes in the district, believes such a statement by an elected representative amounts to "provocation" and a threat to communal harmony, the official said.

"After repeated visits to Murshidabad, Bose has realised that the district is very sensitive and any provocation could be challenging for the administration. Strict measures should be taken to prevent any attempt to disrupt law and order there," he added.

The governor had visited the district again last month to assess issues linked to reverse migration from Bangladesh during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

According to the official, Bose took "strong exception" to Kabir's announcement and has previously reprimanded the MLA for "irresponsible remarks". "The governor has taken a strong note of the TMC MLA making such a comment. He is thinking of taking the matter to the competent authorities at the Centre," the official said.

"The governor sees this attempt of the MLA as contempt of the Constitution, contempt of democracy, contempt of the judiciary and contempt of the people of Bengal," he added.

The Lok Bhavan has also received a memorandum from a group of Murshidabad residents seeking the Governor's intervention, along with several email complaints, the official said.

Kabir's announcement has triggered political tension in the state where assembly elections are due next year, with the BJP alleging it reflects an attempt to turn "West Bengal into West Bangladesh."

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)