Supreme Court refuses to hear plea seeking ban on mosques named after Babur

The Supreme Court refused to hear a petition seeking a direction to prevent the construction of any mosque in the name of Mughal emperor Babur. A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta dismissed the plea, declining to entertain the matter.

During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel argued that no mosque in the country should be constructed in Babur’s name, describing him as an invader. It was further contended that Babur had referred to Hindus as slaves and that action should be taken against such historical figures. The plea sought directions to authorities to impose a ban on the construction of any mosque named after Babur.

The petition comes against the backdrop of recent remarks by suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir, who had reportedly laid the foundation for a Babri Masjid in West Bengal. In Murshidabad, Kabir had stated that he would construct a Babri Masjid there, drawing political attention.

In November 2019, the Supreme Court had delivered its landmark verdict in the Ayodhya dispute, permitting the construction of the Ram Temple at the disputed site. The court had termed the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid a serious violation of the rule of law and directed the government to allot five acres of land at a prominent location in Ayodhya for the construction of a mosque for the Muslim side.