‘Religion is personal, national security first’: Suvendu backs airport mosque curb

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday (July 12) defended the decision to suspend entry passes for congregational prayers at the mosque inside Kolkata's international airport, asserting that security considerations must take precedence over all other concerns.

Speaking to reporters after attending a BJP organisational meeting in Tamluk, Purba Medinipur, Adhikari said the airport is a strategically significant installation and cannot allow unrestricted access to people who are not authorised to enter its premises. He maintained that safeguarding national security and ensuring airport security remain the government's foremost priority.

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"National security and security of the airport will gain priority over everything else. As a chief minister, I will not comment further. The location of the Kolkata international airport is critical, as both China and Bangladesh are nearby. It cannot keep its gates open for outsiders," Adhikari said.

‘Religion is personal matter’

"We have not stopped anyone from practising their religion, unlike what they (the opposition) said about us. Bakrid (Eid al-Adha) was observed adhering to animal slaughter laws, Muharram was observed without brandishing weapons, and there was no problem. Obey the law and act as good citizens. Observe your religions as a personal matter, without trying to influence others. Then everything will run smoothly," he added.

The CM was responding to a question on the opposition to the temporary suspension of prayers at the mosque, which stands in close vicinity to the secondary runway on airport premises, by Siddiqullah Chowdhury, president of the mosque committee and a former minister in the erstwhile Mamata Banerjee cabinet.

Referring to Chowdhury, the CM said his objections were "raised in a mild tone" since he was speaking to the new government. "He would have threatened and bullied if the previous government held power, saying that it came to power with the votes of a particular community," Adhikari said.

Security concerns

Airport authorities said that 'namaz' at the over-136-year-old Gouripur Jama Masjid, also called Bankra Mosque, inside the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport was suspended for three days since Saturday for the shrine's renovation.

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Sourav Sikdar, BJP's MLA from Dum Dum Uttar under whose assembly segment the airport falls, alleged that the mosque's presence within the airport complex has affected the full operational use of the two runways and raised security concerns.

He claimed that people visiting it for prayers do not require airport passes or background verification. "An airport is a secured area. Any person entering the airport has to obtain a biometric pass with a photograph. This mosque is located in the highest-security area, known as Level 3," he said.

Sikdar said the airport handles the movement of VVIPs, including the prime minister and chief minister, besides lakhs of passengers every month. The legislator said his party had raised the issue with the authorities, claiming that the existing arrangement posed a potential security concern.

Question arises on timing

Siddiqullah Chowdhury, while opposing the suspension of prayers, had pointed out that the mosque has stood for over 135 years and argued that entries for 'namaz' should not have been stopped while ongoing discussions with airport and government authorities regarding the site were underway.

Chowdhury criticised local authorities for suspending the issuance of entry passes without prior intimation and for closing access to the shrine without consensus.