Suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir Claims Mamata Govt Took Over Digha's Jagannath Temple

Last Updated:December 12, 2025, 23:49 IST

Humayun Kabir was suspended from TMC for laying the foundation stone for a mosque modelled on Ayodhya’s Babri Masjid in Murshidabad.

Suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir

Suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Humayun Kabir on Friday launched a blistering attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging that the newly built Jagannath Temple in Digha was “entirely taken over" by the government after the TMC came to power.

The Bharatpur (West Bengal) MLA, who stoked a controversy by laying the foundation stone for a mosque modelled on Ayodhya’s Babri Masjid in Murshidabad’s Rejinagar, further said the temple was constructed with Rs 400 crore of government funds, which is the public’s money. Kabir further claimed that another site in Siliguri had also been allotted for similar purposes

“After Mamata Banerjee’s government came to power, the entire Jagannath Temple was taken over. The temple was built using 400 crore of government funds, that is, public money. Then, another site was also given in Siliguri," Kabir said as quoted by news agency IANS.

Kabir was suspended from the TMC last week over the controversial project. Explaining the rationale behind the move, senior party minister Firhad Hakim said the TMC stands for secular politics and Kabir’s move was not in line with the party’s position.

He later accused Banerjee of doing RSS work and claimed that she would be branded as an ex-Chief Minister after the 2026 assembly elections. He had also questioned why he had been retained for more than a decade if the organisation had issues with him.

He had accused Banerjee of doing appeasement politics, saying that she builds temples by taking funds from people but gives mere allowance to Muslim clerics.

“Today, the CM builds Jagannath Temple by taking funds from people, they give funds for Durga Puja. Muslim clerics are given allowance of Rs 3000; clubbing all allowances Rs 54,000 is being given. While Rs 1,10,000 is given to committees every year. She is doing RSS work," he had said after his suspension from the party.

On December 6, the suspended legislator proceeded with the mosque inauguration ceremony amid a swelling crowd and clerics sharing the dais and slogans of “Nara-e-Takbeer, Allahu Akbar", saying the project was not meant to oppose the Ram Mandir and that Muslims had every right to build a mosque in Bengal.

Over the past year, Kabir has repeatedly criticised the TMC, prompting warnings from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee that such behaviour would not be tolerated. He has clashed with party leaders, including Baharampur MP Yusuf Pathan, and the TMC has issued him multiple show-cause notices.

Kabir was also censured by the party leadership a number of times and even slapped with show-cause notices for making public statements that caused embarrassment to the party.

(With inputs from agencies)

News politics Suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir Claims Mamata Govt Took Over Digha's Jagannath Temple

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