A political controversy erupted in West Bengal on Thursday after an alleged video of Humayun Kabir surfaced on social media, purportedly showing him claiming links with senior BJP leaders and efforts to defeat Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Kabir, who founded the Aam Janata Unnayan Party days after being suspended by the TMC late last year, was also allegedly heard claiming he had communication with the PMO and was advised to coordinate with leaders from other BJP-ruled states.
In the video, which could not be independently verified, Kabir was allegedly heard talking to an unidentified person, outlining a strategy to divert minority votes away from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and claiming support from the Muslim community.
"Fooling Muslims is easy. They are very humble, very innocent. I have caught their emotion through the Babri Masjid issue. Today, every Muslim in the country is with me. If you say anything bad about me, they will attack you. Test and see it," Kabir is heard saying in the video.
Kabir also alleged having close ties with the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and the Prime Minister’s Office as part of a multi-crore plan to defeat Banerjee in the polls.
"Suvendu Adhikari had told me he will take me to Delhi and whoever is heading the Bengal elections, we will meet them. Mohan Yadav [Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister] had told me that he has direct contact with the PMO and talked about me. Even Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma knows about it all. PMO had asked them to keep in close contact with me. That's why I had to go meet them in Delhi and MP," he said.
The former TMC MLA is also purportedly seen mentioning the need for substantial financial resources, running into hundreds of crores, to execute this plan across constituencies. "Just get me 200 crore and as soon as you can. After that if anyone from Delhi needs my assurance and confidence, we can do that too," he was heard telling the other person.
TMC demands probe
At a press meet, the Trinamool Congress shared the purported video and demanded an Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe into Kabir’s alleged claims.
Reacting sharply, senior TMC leader and minister Firhad Hakim said Kabir has been "working in tandem" with the BJP to mislead minority voters.
Asking Kabir not to take the emotions and sentiment of the Muslim community for granted, he said the video "exposes a deep-rooted conspiracy" aimed at influencing the electoral outcome in the state.
Hakim further alleged that Kabir was heard in the video saying that invoking the Babri Masjid issue would be more effective in mobilising Muslim votes, even if it does not ultimately materialise.
"The BJP is trying to manipulate the mandate by using proxy players. This video, if true, confirms our allegations," another senior TMC leader and minister Aroop Biswas said.
He also said the AIMIM and its president Asaduddin Owaisi should clarify their stand on the issue.
Asked who shot the video, Hakim said, "That is not important. What he said and his demand to be made deputy chief minister in the event of the BJP coming to power is important."
"We demand a probe by the Enforcement Directorate into the issue," TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said.
(With inputs from PTI)