Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, along with Priyanka Gandhi MP and other Congress leaders from Uttar Pradesh, will visit violence-hit Sambhal on December 4, the party said.
The visit comes amid restrictions on entry of outsiders imposed by the district administration until December 10, following last month’s violence during a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid that killed five people.
On December 3, district magistrate of Sambhal, Rajendra Pensia wrote to the police commissioners of neighbouring Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad districts and the superintendents of police of Amroha and Bulandshahr districts, urging them to stop Rahul Gandhi at the borders of their districts during the visit.
“On November 24, a remaining survey was conducted, following which members of the Muslim community staged massive protests involving gunfire, stone-pelting, and arson. As a result, the situation in Sambhal district has become extremely sensitive. Until December 10, the entry of any external individuals, social organisations, or public representatives into Sambhal district is restricted without prior approval from the competent authority. Prohibitory orders have been issued under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023,” the Sambhal DM said in the letter.
On November 24, violence erupted during a court-ordered ASI survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, a 500-year old mosque in Sambhal, leading to the death of five people. The mosque is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
“Hence, it is requested that, considering the communal sensitivity of Sambhal district, vigilant monitoring of the proposed activities of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi Ji be ensured, and appropriate arrangements be made to prevent him from entering the boundaries of the district. Kindly direct the concerned authorities to take necessary action in this regard,” he added.
Moradabad’s divisional commissioner, Aunjaneya Kumar Singh, said that the administration is urging Gandhi to postpone his visit.
“The District Magistrate has imposed restrictions on the arrival of outsiders in Sambhal until December 10. This measure aims to maintain peace and prevent the currently stabilising situation from escalating again. While the situation is under control, tensions remain, and the presence of outsiders could provoke further disturbances. This decision was based on assessments by the District Magistrate and the Superintendent of Police,” Singh said.
Akhilesh Slams BJP
Speaking in Lok Sabha on December 3, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over violence in Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh, alleging that the incident was a ‘well-planned conspiracy’ of the saffron party to distract the public from more pressing issues.
Those who want to dig everywhere will someday lose the cordiality and brotherhood of the country.
The formerchief minister of Uttar Pradesh accused the administration and police of Sambhal of acting in a biased manner, suggesting that they were behaving like BJP workers rather than impartial authorities.
“Those who want to dig everywhere will someday lose the cordiality and brotherhood of the country,” Yadav said in Lok Sabha during the ongoing winter session of Parliament.
