Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari supported the suspension of entry passes for congregational prayers at the 136-year-old Gouripur Jama Masjid inside Kolkata airport.
Adhikari emphasized that the airport's critical geopolitical proximity to China and Bangladesh makes national security the topmost priority.
Airport authorities temporarily suspended namaz at the mosque for three days starting Saturday to carry out necessary renovation work.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday backed the West Bengal government's stance in the dispute over entry passes for congregational prayers at a mosque inside Kolkata airport, saying the airport's security had to come before everything else, according to PTI.
Airport authorities stated that namaz at the over 136-year-old Gouripur Jama Masjid, also called Bankra Mosque, inside Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, was suspended for three days starting Saturday for renovation work.
National Security Priorities
After a BJP organisational meeting in Tamluk, Purba Medinipur, Adhikari told PTI, "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 since both China and Bangladesh are close by. It cannot keep its gates open for outsiders." He also told PTI, "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."
The chief minister was responding to opposition to the temporary pause in prayers at the mosque, which stands close to the airport's secondary runway, raised by Siddiqullah Chowdhury, the mosque committee president and a former minister in the erstwhile Mamata Banerjee cabinet. Referring to Chowdhury, Adhikari told PTI that his objections were "raised in a mild tone" because 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 to PTI.
Airport Security Concerns
Sourav Sikdar, the BJP MLA from Dum Dum Uttar, under whose assembly segment the airport falls, said the mosque's presence inside the 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 need airport passes or background verification.
Sikdar told PTI, "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 the airport handles the movement of VVIPs, including the prime minister and chief minister, along with lakhs of passengers every month. The legislator said his party had raised the issue with the authorities, claiming the existing arrangement posed a potential security concern.
Opposition and Committee Protest
Chowdhury, who heads the mosque committee, opposed the suspension of namaz and said the shrine has stood for more than 135 years. He argued that prayers should not have been stopped while discussions with airport and government authorities over the site were still underway. Chowdhury also criticised local authorities for suspending the issuance of entry passes without prior intimation and for closing access to the shrine without consensus.
