VHP Demands Action: Why a Bengal Mosque Ceremony Sparks Legal Battle

In the letter from the VHP Counsel and senior advocate Alok Kumar, a copy of which is available with IANS, the Chief Minister had been advised to direct her administration to examine the applicability of Section 196 and Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

Section 196 relates to punishment for promoting enmity, hatred, or ill-will between different religious, racial, linguistic, or regional groups, or castes/communities, through speech, writing, signs, or electronic communication, and prohibits acts prejudicial to harmony.

On the other hand, Section 299 relates to punishment for deliberately and maliciously outraging the religious feelings of any class by insulting their religion or beliefs, using spoken/written words, signs, or electronic means.

In the letter, the VHP Counsel had also advised Chief Minister Banerjee to direct her administration to examine the possibility of registering a first information report (FIR) against Humayun Kabir and his associates involved with the arrangement of the foundation stone laying ceremony and act against them as per legal provisions.

The proposed mosque at Beldanga is supposed to be constructed in line with the original construction at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, which was demolished on December 5, 1992. That is precisely why Humayun Kabir chose December 6 of this year to organise the foundation stone laying ceremony.

In the letter to Chief Minister Banerjee, VHP had said that since Mughal emperor Babur had been historically associated with the destruction of Hindu religious sites, naming the proposed mosque at Beldanga after him, seen along with statements being made on this count, proved that the move was neither accidental nor incidental.

"It clearly is a malicious act likely to outrage Hindu religious beliefs. Thus it is an offence under Section 299 of BNS," the letter from the VHP Counsel said.

- IANS