Political desperation behind mosque foundation stone: Shatrughan Sinha

Kolkata, Dec 6 (PTI) Trinamool Congress MP Shatrughan Sinha on Saturday said that the act of laying the foundation stone of a mosque modelled on Ayodhya's Babri Masjid in West Bengal's Murshidabad district before the assembly elections in the state smacks of political desperation.

He said that on this day, December 6, which is marked as 'Sadbhavna Diwas', there should be goodwill in true sense and a good atmosphere.

Speaking to reporters in his constituency, Asansol, Sinha said the act of laying the foundation stone of a mosque modelled on Ayodhya's Babri Masjid on this day in Bengal and gathering people by suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir smacks of political desperation.

"I think it is a political move or political desperation of some and not possible without the support of a particular political party," he said.

The TMC has suspended its Bharatpur MLA Humayun Kabir, who on Saturday laid the foundation stone for a mosque – modelled on Ayodhya's Babri Masjid – at Rejinagar in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, escalating political temperatures in the state where the assembly elections are due next year.

He said that the issue of Mandir-Masjid is being raised to gain political mileage.

Sinha claimed that a plan is being tried in this act of announcing and laying the foundation of a Babri mosque replica here.

"But I know fully well that Mamata Banerjee's strategy is working throughout the country," the actor-turned-politician said.

"Mamataji has made the saying 'what Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow' a success," he said.

TMC supremo and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been vocal against the BJP over several issues, including the ongoing special intensive revision of electoral rolls issue, claiming that the Election Commission was conducting the exercise at the behest of the saffron party. PTI AMR RG