Rs 1,000 crore from BJP: Trinamool's Humayun Kabir sting and an AIMIM fallout
The video purportedly shows Humayun Kabir claiming links with BJP leaders and discussing a plan to divert minority votes in Bengal in return for large funds, including an alleged advance payment of Rs 200 crore.
Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM has called off its alliance with Humayun Kabir's Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) after the ruling Trinamool Congress released a purported sting video that allegedly shows Kabir making controversial claims about Muslims in West Bengal and his ‘links’ with the BJP. Kabir, who was suspended by Trinamool late last year and subsequently launched his AJUP, dismissed the video as "AI-generated".
At a press conference on Thursday, the ruling party also alleged that the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) was part of a multi-crore plan aimed at defeating Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections.
In the video circulated by the TMC, Kabir is purportedly heard claiming he had been in touch with the PMO and was advised to coordinate with leaders from BJP-ruled states, including Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The video also included remarks allegedly by Kabir suggesting that "it is easy to fool Muslims" and references to the Babri Masjid issue, along with an alleged demand for Rs 200 crore as advance funding.
The clip also allegedly captured Kabir outlining a strategy to divert minority votes away from the TMC, suggesting such a shift could electorally benefit the BJP. He is further purportedly heard referring to a Rs 1,000 crore plan, claiming that Rs 200 crore had already been received as an advance.
Trinamool Congress has demanded an Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe into the claims emerging from the video.
Kabir, however, accused the TMC leadership of orchestrating a smear campaign against him. He said he would initiate defamation proceedings against senior party leaders.
India Today TV, however, could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
HUMAYUN KABIR DENIES CHARGES
Rejecting the allegations, Kabir said he had no contact with any BJP leader since November 2019. "If they can show any proof, any photograph, let them do so," he said, naming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Himanta Biswa Sarma.
He accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, and party leaders Kunal Ghosh and Firhad Hakim of being behind what he described as a 'fabricated' sting operation. "They cannot fight me politically, so they are using AI to malign me. I will file defamation cases against them," Kabir said, while also appealing to the Muslim community not to be misled by the claims.
"It is an attempt to malign me by the TMC, who are afraid to lose the vote of Muslims. They have insulted the community by launching such a fake video, which made light of Muslims' sentiments by putting certain statements through AI," he added.
AIMIM BREAKS ALLIANCE
The controversy has had immediate political fallout. The Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM announced that it was withdrawing its alliance with Kabir's party following the emergence of the video.
In a statement, AIMIM said it could not associate with remarks that question the integrity of Muslims and announced it would contest the West Bengal Assembly elections independently.
"Humayun Kabir's revelations have shown how vulnerable Bengal's Muslims are. That AIMIM cannot associate with any statements where integrity of Muslims is brought into question. As of today, AIMIM has withdrawn its alliance with Kabir's party. Bengal's Muslims are one of the poorest, neglected and oppressed communities. Despite decades of secular rule, nothing has been done for them," AIMIM said in a post on X.
"AIMIM’s policy in contesting elections in any state is so that the marginalised communities have an independent political voice. We will be contesting the Bengal elections INDEPENDENTLY and will have no alliance with any party going forward," it added.
The development came weeks after Owaisi had announced an alliance with Kabir's AJUP for the state polls. Kabir was expelled from the TMC last year amid controversy over his pledge to build a mosque modelled on the Babri Masjid in Murshidabad district.
Elections to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with counting scheduled for May 4.
Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM has called off its alliance with Humayun Kabir's Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) after the ruling Trinamool Congress released a purported sting video that allegedly shows Kabir making controversial claims about Muslims in West Bengal and his ‘links’ with the BJP. Kabir, who was suspended by Trinamool late last year and subsequently launched his AJUP, dismissed the video as "AI-generated".
At a press conference on Thursday, the ruling party also alleged that the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) was part of a multi-crore plan aimed at defeating Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections.
In the video circulated by the TMC, Kabir is purportedly heard claiming he had been in touch with the PMO and was advised to coordinate with leaders from BJP-ruled states, including Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The video also included remarks allegedly by Kabir suggesting that "it is easy to fool Muslims" and references to the Babri Masjid issue, along with an alleged demand for Rs 200 crore as advance funding.
The clip also allegedly captured Kabir outlining a strategy to divert minority votes away from the TMC, suggesting such a shift could electorally benefit the BJP. He is further purportedly heard referring to a Rs 1,000 crore plan, claiming that Rs 200 crore had already been received as an advance.
Trinamool Congress has demanded an Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe into the claims emerging from the video.
Kabir, however, accused the TMC leadership of orchestrating a smear campaign against him. He said he would initiate defamation proceedings against senior party leaders.
India Today TV, however, could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
HUMAYUN KABIR DENIES CHARGES
Rejecting the allegations, Kabir said he had no contact with any BJP leader since November 2019. "If they can show any proof, any photograph, let them do so," he said, naming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Himanta Biswa Sarma.
He accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, and party leaders Kunal Ghosh and Firhad Hakim of being behind what he described as a 'fabricated' sting operation. "They cannot fight me politically, so they are using AI to malign me. I will file defamation cases against them," Kabir said, while also appealing to the Muslim community not to be misled by the claims.
"It is an attempt to malign me by the TMC, who are afraid to lose the vote of Muslims. They have insulted the community by launching such a fake video, which made light of Muslims' sentiments by putting certain statements through AI," he added.
AIMIM BREAKS ALLIANCE
The controversy has had immediate political fallout. The Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM announced that it was withdrawing its alliance with Kabir's party following the emergence of the video.
In a statement, AIMIM said it could not associate with remarks that question the integrity of Muslims and announced it would contest the West Bengal Assembly elections independently.
"Humayun Kabir's revelations have shown how vulnerable Bengal's Muslims are. That AIMIM cannot associate with any statements where integrity of Muslims is brought into question. As of today, AIMIM has withdrawn its alliance with Kabir's party. Bengal's Muslims are one of the poorest, neglected and oppressed communities. Despite decades of secular rule, nothing has been done for them," AIMIM said in a post on X.
"AIMIM’s policy in contesting elections in any state is so that the marginalised communities have an independent political voice. We will be contesting the Bengal elections INDEPENDENTLY and will have no alliance with any party going forward," it added.
The development came weeks after Owaisi had announced an alliance with Kabir's AJUP for the state polls. Kabir was expelled from the TMC last year amid controversy over his pledge to build a mosque modelled on the Babri Masjid in Murshidabad district.
Elections to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with counting scheduled for May 4.
