Saudi clerics to attend Kabir's 'Babri Masjid-style' mosque event; 40,000 biryani packets readied

Baharampur, Dec 6 (PTI) The venue for suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir’s foundation-stone ceremony for a ‘Babri Masjid-style' mosque at Beldanga in West Bengal’s Murshidabad on December 6 turned into a massive worksite on Friday, with Saudi clerics expected, food for thousands being prepared, and authorities enforcing a tight security grid.

The Congress-BJP-turned-TMC rebel, suspended on Thursday for what the ruling party described as repeatedly embarrassing the organisation, appeared unfazed by either the political fallout or the administrative glare.

Kabir told reporters that "nearly 3 lakh people will gather across 25 bighas near Moradighi on Saturday", adding that religious leaders from several states had confirmed their presence.

"Two qazis from Saudi Arabia will arrive in a special convoy from Kolkata airport in the morning," he said.

Across the sprawling venue off NH-12, the state's only north-south arterial highway, preparations rolled on at an intensity typically reserved for high-voltage political shows.

Seven Murshidabad-based catering agencies have been contracted to cook shahi biryani for the crowd.

A close aide of the MLA said about 40,000 packets were being made for guests and another 20,000 for local residents, pushing food expenses alone past Rs 30 lakh.

"The venue budget will reach around Rs 60-70 lakh," he said.

The dais, rising over paddy fields, has become the most visible symbol of the scale.

At 150 feet long and 80 feet wide, with seating for around 400 guests, it is being built at an estimated cost of Rs 10 lakh.

Nearly 3,000 volunteers, 2,000 of whom began work early Friday, have been deployed to manage crowd movement, regulate access roads and prevent bottlenecks on NH-12, organisers said.

Kabir said the ceremony would begin with Quran recitation at 10 am, followed by the foundation event at noon.

"Formalities will start two hours earlier. By 4 pm, the ground will be cleared as per police directives," he added.

The organisers circulated a schedule outlining the day: arrival of special guests, including the visiting Saudi clerics, at 8 am; Quran recitation at 10 am; the main ceremony at noon; community meal at 2 pm; and dispersal by 4 pm.

The logistical sweep has, however, heightened administrative concerns.

Following a Calcutta High Court directive on Friday, district police held a round of discussions with Kabir's team to ensure public order and uninterrupted movement along NH-12.

A senior district police officer said nearly 3,000 personnel would be deployed across Beldanga and Raninagar police station jurisdictions.

"Our primary concern is keeping the national highway running. Extra forces have arrived from the headquarters. Multiple diversion plans are in place," he said.

Officials admitted that the possibility of a large crowd choking NH-12 remained the biggest challenge, and that traffic diversions could be activated depending on how the turnout builds through the morning.

For Kabir, whose mosque initiative has triggered unease within the TMC, Saturday's gathering is both a test of mobilisation and a show of defiance.

"People will come because this is a historic moment for the area," he said, brushing aside the political ripples and the heavy security ring around the venue.

As the administration braces for an unprecedented congregation fed by giant cauldrons of biryani and anchored by a towering stage, the event is set to stretch both the district's policing bandwidth and Kabir's political calculus in a region where symbolism, mobilisation and religious signalling often run together. PTI PNT MNB