Kolkata airport mosque row: BJP backs prayer curbs, TMC lashes out
The suspension of prayers at the Bankra mosque at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport for the past few days by the authorities has snowballed into a major controversy, leading to a war of words between the ruling party and the Opposition. The authorities, while stopping entry passes for congregational prayers at the mosque, cited heightened security concerns as the reason, but the matter took a political turn, with questions raised over access and religious rights. A string of BJP leaders, from Bengal ministers to the state party chief, backed the move to curb prayers at the mosque, stating that shifting the religious structure was essential for airport expansion and security. Opposition parties, however, called this an infringement of the religious rights of minorities, accusing the new BJP govt of ‘religious interference’. Notably, the 136-year-old mosque is situated near the airport, about 165 metres from the main runway. It has long been identified as a potential concern for airport operations and emergency responses. TMC MP Saugata Roy, speaking to IANS, said there had never …
