BJP vs TMC in Bengal over Kolkata airport restricting entry into 136-year-old mosque

A political dispute has erupted between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the BJP over the Kolkata airport authority's decision to restrict entry to a 136-year-old mosque. The mosque, located within the airport premises, is a significant religious site for the local community.

TMC Member of Parliament Saugata Roy has strongly condemned the airport authority's move, which limits access to the mosque through Gate No. 8. Roy argued that such a restriction is unwarranted and disrespectful to the religious sentiments of the people. The airport administration cited national security concerns as the reason for implementing the entry restrictions.

Sources indicate that the mosque has been a place of worship for decades, and the sudden imposition of entry limitations has caused distress among devotees. The TMC has accused the BJP-led central government, which controls airport authorities, of deliberately targeting a religious site to create communal tension or assert control.

The BJP, in turn, has defended the airport's decision, stating that security protocols must be adhered to for the safety of all passengers and staff. They have suggested that the TMC is politicizing a security-related issue for electoral gain. The controversy highlights the ongoing political rivalry between the two parties in West Bengal, with religious sites often becoming focal points of their campaigns.

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The airport authority's decision to restrict entry to the masjid via Gate No 8, citing national security concerns.