Stopped from visiting Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal to meet the families of those killed in the November 24 violence, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said it was his right and duty as Leader of the Opposition to visit the town and speak to the affected families.
The Congress leader shared a video of an exchange with a police officer at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border in Ghazipur. The video shows a huge battery of cops on duty to stop the Congress delegation from entering Uttar Pradesh.
"It's my right to go there. On what basis have they denied the LoP (Leader of the Opposition) permission to go?" he is heard asking a police officer on duty. "It's an issue of law and order," the cop responds. "Am I going to disturb law and order?" Mr Gandhi asks. The cop says, "It is a sensitive (situation)". The Congress leader responds, "I am going to go with the police quietly and come back. I am going alone."
Mr Gandhi was accompanied by his sister and MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several Congress MPs when Uttar Pradesh police stopped them at Ghazipur. The Congress leaders urged the cops to allow a small delegation of 4-5. The cops refused. They then asked if Mr Gandhi could go alone. This was turned down too and the Congress leaders were asked to turn back. Opposition leaders, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, slammed the Yogi Adityanath government's move to stop Mr Gandhi from visiting Sambhal. Opposition MPs staged a walkout in Lok Sabha to register their protest.
The BJP hit back, accusing the Congress leaders of planning the visit for a "photo op". BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi asked why Mr Gandhi did not visit Bengal's Sandeshkhali, which made headlines after an Enforcement Directorate team was attacked and a group of women accused the local strongman, then a Trinamool leader, of harassment and extortion. Senior BJP leader Giriraj Singh termed this a "political drama" by Mr Gandhi.
In the video posted on X, Mr Gandhi said, "Sambhal witnessed violence. People died. We wanted to go and see what happened, but police did not let us."
Prohibitory orders have been clamped on the western Uttar Pradesh town after four people were killed and several others injured in violent clashes with police during a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid. The Mughal-era mosque is at the centre of a legal battle after some petitions claimed it was built on the site of a Hindu temple. Local Samajwadi Party MP Zia Ur Rehman, Samajwadi Party MLA Mahmood's son Sohail Iqbal and over 700 unidentified people have been charged in the FIR filed in connection with the violence.
Police and administration have said they would not allow outsiders to visit the area, citing the law and order situation. The prohibitory orders have been extended to December 31. Earlier, a delegation of Samajwadi Party MPs was stopped from entering the district.
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