BJP announces Ram temple project in Bengal after TMC MLA's proposal for Babri Masjid-like mosque

West Bengal BJP's Murshidabad unit has announced plans to construct a Ram temple in Berhampore, days after TMC MLA Humayun Kabir proposed to set up a mosque modelled after the Babri Masjid at Beldanga in the same district.

The BJP said the temple’s construction will begin on January 22, 2025, exactly one year after the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. BJP’s Berhampore organisational district president, Shakharav Sarkar, said land for the temple has already been identified, and the project is estimated to cost Rs 10 crore.

"We have already identified a land in Beharampore area and the construction work for the Ram Temple based on the design of the temple on Ayodhya will begin soon," he told reporters.

Kabir, the TMC MLA from Beldanga, had on Tuesday announced plans for the mosque, which he said would honour the sentiments of the region’s significant minority population.

His remarks have sparked political controversy, with opposition parties accusing him of attempting to polarise communities for political gain.

The BJP’s counterproposal to build a Ram temple is seen as a strategic move to strengthen its presence among the Hindu community in Murshidabad, a district where minorities make up around 75 per cent of the population.

Responding to the controversy, the TMC distanced itself from Kabir’s remarks, describing them as his personal opinion.

“The TMC has nothing to do with this statement of Kabir,” a senior party leader said.

Kabir’s announcement has also drawn criticism from the Congress, which accused him of playing divisive politics in a sensitive region.