Calcutta High Court Greenlights Murshidabad Mosque Amidst 'Babri-Style' Controversy

In a move that has certainly drawn attention, the Calcutta High Court has definitively cleared the path for the foundation stone laying of a new mosque in Murshidabad, West Bengal. It seems a legal challenge aimed at halting the project, primarily due to its alleged 'Babri-style' architectural design, just didn't quite hold water with the court.

The controversy, you see, stemmed from a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a group known as 'Sanatan Sanskriti Sansad'. Their core argument was that the proposed mosque's design, reportedly echoing the now-demolished Babri Masjid, was a deliberate and provocative act. They contended it was meant to stir communal discord and disrupt the delicate fabric of peace in the region – a serious accusation, no doubt.

It’s important to understand the backstory here. This isn't just a brand-new construction out of the blue. The new mosque is actually intended to replace an older one in Murshidabad that was sadly lost to river erosion. The Sunni Waqf Board is spearheading this rebuilding effort, aiming to provide a much-needed place of worship for the local community.

However, when the case landed before the Division Bench of Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, they delved into the specifics, or rather, the lack thereof. The court crucially pointed out that the petitioners hadn't specified which particular architectural style they found offensive, nor how it inherently violated any existing law. After all, as the court implied, simply calling something 'Babri-style' doesn't automatically make it illegal. A building's design, on its own, isn't usually a crime, is it?

Furthermore, regarding the petitioners' concerns about potential law and order issues, the High Court was quite clear. It stressed that maintaining public order and peace is primarily the responsibility of the district administration. Should any untoward incident arise, the District Magistrate (DM) and Superintendent of Police (SP) of Murshidabad are the ones mandated to take appropriate, decisive action, ensuring public safety and preventing any escalation.

Ultimately, with these considerations in mind, the bench dismissed the PIL. This decision effectively clears the way for the foundation stone laying ceremony to proceed as planned. It's a ruling that subtly reinforces the principle that legal challenges require concrete, specific grounds, and that architectural style, without direct legal transgression, isn't typically enough to halt a legitimate construction project.