Reports suggest donation boxes were kept to collect funds for the proposed Babri Masjid-style mosque by suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Humayun Kabir in West Bengal's Murshidabad district are overflowing with physical and online contributions. People close to Kabir said on Monday that the fund has already crossed ₹1.30 crore. This includes ₹37.33 lakh in cash counted so far from four donation boxes and one sack, besides around ₹93 lakh received through online QR code contributions. Seven more sealed donation boxes are yet to be opened.
Kabir laid the foundation stone for the mosque in Rejinagar, Murshidabad, on Saturday, amidst heavy security. He deliberately chose December 6, the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition in Ayodhya, a decision that immediately intensified the political atmosphere in poll-bound Bengal.
The event was massive, drawing tens of thousands of people, with elaborate arrangements that included serving shahi biryani to an estimated 40,000 attendees. Eleven large stainless steel donation boxes were placed at the venue that day, with Kabir appealing for public contributions. Locals confirmed that supporters continue to arrive with cash and even construction bricks for the structure.
Cash-counting, which began at 7 pm on Sunday and continued until midnight, involved a team of 30 people utilising special machines. The remaining seven boxes are scheduled to be opened from 5 pm on Monday. Kabir noted that the counting was live-streamed for transparency. Kabir claimed the response had "exceeded all expectations," with donations allegedly coming from outside India as well. Arrangements are being made to move the collected funds to a secure, CCTV-monitored room, and discussions with banks regarding safe handling are underway.
Kabir, known for his politically turbulent career — having been associated with Congress, TMC, and briefly the Bharatiya Janata Party — was suspended by the Trinamool Congress days before the foundation ceremony as the party distanced itself from his December 6 announcement. The suspension coincided with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's visit to Murshidabad for a rally against the voter list revision, a venue Kabir conspicuously walked out of in protest.
Since his suspension, Kabir has announced his intention to launch a new political party on December 22 and field candidates in 135 assembly constituencies in the upcoming West Bengal elections, while vowing that the Rejinagar mosque will be constructed at any cost.
Locals report that people are still flocking to the site with construction materials, underscoring the strong religious and emotional pull of a project that has become a major flashpoint in pre-election Bengal.
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