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Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi on Saturday said that the foundation stone laid for a Babri Masjid in West Bengal should not be used for politics or to create tensions between Hindus and Muslims.
He said that anyone can build a mosque with proper permission and that no one should provoke people over this issue. Speaking to ANI in Mumbai, Abu Azmi said, "If someone builds a mosque with their own money, there is no need to provoke anyone. The law of this country says that you can build a mosque with permission. It should not be turned into a political issue to create a rift between Hindus and Muslims." Earlier today, suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Humayun Kabir laid the foundation stone for the construction of Babri Masjid in Murshidabad. He drew attention to the constitutional right to build places of worship and said that he is not doing anything unconstitutional, "as anyone can make a temple or church, so can I". Addressing the gathering, Kabir said, "I am not doing anything unconstitutional. Anyone can build a temple, anyone can build a church; I will build a mosque. It is being said that we cannot build the Babri Masjid. It is not written anywhere. The Supreme Court gave a judgment which stated that the Hindu people had demolished the Babri Masjid. Considering the sentiments of Hindus, the decision was taken to build a temple here. Now we see someone laying the foundation stone for a Ram Temple in Sagardighi. But the Constitution allows us to build a mosque." Kabir asserted that legal challenges would not deter the mosque's construction. "Five cases have been filed against me, but no one can stop someone with whom Allah is. The court has also clearly stated that it is written in the Constitution of India that one can build a mosque; it is a right," he said. He referred to the demolished Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, calling it a historically controversial site. "There are four crore Muslims in Bengal. Don't they have the right to build the Babri Masjid? Threats have been made against me, including by the former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. If anyone has the courage, let them come here to Murshidabad and show it," he said. Kabir added that a 300-crore budget has been allocated for the mosque, which will also include a hospital, guesthouse, and meeting hall. He reiterated his commitment to the project and said, "It is a promise of the Muslims: The Babri Masjid will be built, it will be built, it will be built." (ANI)
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