KOLKATA: The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has launched a sharp attack on the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal, accusing it of allowing a “deliberate and provocative” act that allegedly threatens communal harmony, after a mosque was reportedly named after Mughal ruler Babur in Murshidabad district.
In a strongly worded letter dated December 15, VHP International President Alok Kumar wrote to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, seeking the immediate registration of an FIR against Murshidabad MLA Humayun Kabir for the construction and naming of the mosque as “Babri Masjid.” The VHP has alleged that the act amounts to a conscious attempt to inflame religious sentiments and promote enmity between communities.
Letter from Shri Alok Kumar (@AlokKumarLIVE), Int'l President, VHP, to Smt. Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial), Chief Minister of West Bengal, Seeking Immediate Registration of an FIR Against Shri Humayun Kabir, MLA, for the Construction of a Mosque in the Name of Babur
श्री आलोक… pic.twitter.com/EJEC0Ly2vD
— Vishva Hindu Parishad -VHP (@VHPDigital) December 15, 2025
According to the letter, the foundation stone of the mosque was laid on December 6, 2025, a date the VHP claims was “symbolically chosen,” and that public statements made by Kabir indicate deliberate intent. The organisation argued that Babur, the founder of the Mughal dynasty, is widely viewed by Hindus as a foreign invader associated with mass violence, religious persecution and the destruction of Hindu places of worship.
Citing historical accounts, including Babur’s autobiography Baburnama, the VHP alleged that Babur’s campaigns involved massacres of civilians, the construction of “towers of skulls,” and destruction of temples. Naming a mosque after such a figure, the VHP said, is “foreseeably offensive” and capable of provoking communal tensions in a sensitive socio-political climate.
The letter also referenced the controversial legacy of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, stating that Babur remains a deeply contentious figure in Hindu cultural memory. “The proposed naming is neither accidental nor incidental,” the VHP said, claiming it constitutes a “malicious act” intended to outrage Hindu religious feelings.
While the TMC has suspended MLA Humayun Kabir from the party, the VHP has accused the Mamata Banerjee government of reacting only after public outrage. The letter quoted Kolkata Mayor and senior TMC leader Firhad Hakim, who acknowledged that the party had warned Kabir and reiterated the TMC’s commitment to secularism. Media reports have also indicated that the Chief Minister publicly criticised the move.
However, the VHP maintained that political suspension alone is insufficient. It demanded criminal action under Sections 196 and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), which deal with promoting enmity between groups and deliberate acts intended to outrage religious feelings.
“The rule of law cannot be replaced by cosmetic political action,” the VHP said, urging the state government to examine the applicability of relevant penal provisions and register an FIR against the MLA and his associates.
