Reacting to the sting video shared by the TMC, Union Home Minister Amit Shah (in this picture) said, Humayun Kabir and the BJP are like the South Pole and the North Pole. Photo: PTI
Would rather sit in Opposition for 20 years: Amit Shah on Kabir 'sting' row
Ridiculing the 'sting video', the Union home minister said Humayun Kabir and the BJP are like the South Pole and the North Pole
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday (April 10) weighed in on the controversy over a viral ‘sting video’, asserting that the BJP would “rather sit in the opposition for 20 years” than align with those “building the Babri Masjid in West Bengal”. His remarks come amid a fresh political storm between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The controversy erupted after a video allegedly featuring Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) chief Humayun Kabir went viral on social media. Kabir, who was expelled from the TMC in 2025 for his efforts to build an Ayodhya-style mosque in Murshidabad, was purportedly heard claiming he had been in touch with senior BJP leaders and had struck a deal worth Rs 1,000 crore to defeat the Trinamool Congress in the upcoming elections.
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West Bengal is set to go to polls in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with TMC chief Mamata Banerjee eyeing for a fourth term.
Question over video’s authenticity
Dismissing the video’s authenticity, Shah said, “You may be unaware of Mamata Ji’s capabilities; she is capable of producing 2,000 such videos. Humayun Kabir and the BJP are like the South Pole and the North Pole. We can never align.”
The video was shared by the TMC on its official social media handle.
Terming it fake, Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Suvendu Adhikari said it was likely an AI-generated clip aimed at maligning the BJP. Former state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh ridiculed Kabir, saying he did not deserve Rs 100 crore, let alone Rs 1,000 crore.
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State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar described the row as “cheap theatrics” and said the upcoming elections would be a direct contest between the BJP and TMC, with no “proxy players.”
AIMIM ends ties
Kabir also rejected the allegations, claiming the video was AI-generated and threatening defamation action if the TMC failed to provide proof. “It is an attempt to malign me by Trinamool, which fears losing Muslim votes. They have insulted the community by circulating such a fake video that misrepresents sentiments through AI,” he said.
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Following the controversy, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), which had extended support to Kabir’s party, announced on Friday that it was ending the alliance, stating discomfort over remarks that, in its view, questioned the integrity of Muslims.