Suvendu Adhikari backs curbs on Kolkata airport mosque entry, cites security concerns
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has defended the suspension of entry passes for prayers at a mosque inside Kolkata airport, citing national security concerns. Adhikari emphasized that the airport's proximity to international borders necessitates strict access control.
Why it matters
The decision highlights the ongoing tension between religious practice and security protocols in sensitive government installations.
Firming up the West Bengal government's stand on the emerging controversy over suspension of entry passes for congregational prayers at a mosque inside the Kolkata airport, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said gates of the vital installation that has critical geo-political importance cannot be kept open for outsiders.
Emerging from a BJP special organisational meeting at Tamluk in Purba Medinipur district on Sunday (July 12, 2026), Mr. Adhikari told reporters that national security and the security of the Kolkata international airport took precedence over everything else.
"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," Mr. Adhikari said.
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