Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on Tuesday, 3 November 2026 publicly cautioned Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) chairman and Nowda MLA Humayun Kabir against his stated plan to block National Highway 12 (NH-12) on 6 December, the date on which construction of a proposed mosque in Beldanga, Murshidabad district, West Bengal is scheduled to begin. The warning came a day after Kabir announced the blockade plan, which he framed as a symbolic act tied to the anniversary of the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.

BJP's Legal Warning to Kabir

Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar invoked criminal law to caution the MLA, pointing out that obstructing a national highway carries serious legal consequences. 'Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, blocking a national highway is an offence under a non-bailable section. I would urge the MLA not to indulge in such activities. It would also be better to avoid using the name of Babur. He should name the mosque after someone else rather than associate it with Babur,' Majumdar said.

West Bengal State Tourism Minister Shankar Ghosh went further, dismissing Kabir's political relevance entirely. 'He (Humayun Kabir) is irrelevant in politics. Such people should be thrown in the dustbin,' Ghosh said.

What Kabir Has Threatened

Kabir had announced that a roughly 30-km stretch of NH-12 between Rejinagar and Berhampore would remain 'under his control' on 6 December. He also claimed that his supporters would mobilise across several areas, reportedly including Krishnanagar, Domkal, Jalangi, Sainthia, Kandi, Burdwan, and Nabadwip. He had reportedly dared the administration and police to prevent the blockade, saying they would have to 'demonstrate their ability' to do so.

The Babri Masjid Connection and Political Context

Kabir chose 6 December — the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition — to begin construction of the proposed mosque in his home constituency of Beldanga. The move is widely seen as a political statement, coming after Kabir was expelled from the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) last year. Following his expulsion, he re-entered public life by raising the Babri Masjid issue and subsequently launched his own outfit, the Aam Janata Unnayan Party.

The proposed mosque, which Kabir has linked to the Babri Masjid's name and legacy, has drawn sharp reactions from BJP leaders who argue the nomenclature deliberately inflames communal sensitivities. This is the latest episode in a series of politically charged events tied to the Murshidabad region, which has historically been a flashpoint in Bengal's communal politics.

What Happens Next

With 6 December weeks away, the administration and West Bengal Police are under pressure to decide whether to act pre-emptively. Any attempt to block a national highway could trigger arrests under non-bailable provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, as Majumdar indicated. Political observers note that the episode could escalate further if construction proceedings on the proposed mosque proceed amid protest mobilisation.