LoP Rahul, Priyanka on Way to Violence-hit Sambhal Stopped at Ghazipur Border

NEW DELHI:
Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, who were headed to violence-hit Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh (UP) on Wednesday, were stopped at the Ghazipur border on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway.

The Congress MPs, accompanied by many party leaders and workers were stopped by police officials on the border, citing the law and order situation in Sambhal.

The proposed visit by the Gandhi siblings comes almost two weeks after violence erupted in the Western UP town over the survey of Jama Masjid mosque.

The violence that broke out during the survey of the mosque resulted in the death of five youths, prompting Opposition parties to train guns at the Yogi Adityanath government over the creaking law and order situation.

As the Congress convoy was stopped on the Ghazipur border, the Congress MPs have now asked the police to allow a small delegation of the party to visit the strife-torn town, for meeting the violence-hit and bereaved families in the area.

Notably, Sambhal has been under heightened police vigil after the November 24 violence.

Prohibitory orders have been put in place and ‘outsiders’ have been denied entry into the town till December 10 to avoid any further escalation in violence.

Earlier, a Samajwadi Party delegation was also stopped from entering the town.

The Mughal-era mosque is at the centre of a legal battle as petitioners claimed that a Hindu temple existed at the site of the mosque before.

After the court ordered an ASI survey of the mosque to find out the ‘truth’, the cops and survey team were attacked and stoned by a huge crowd, comprising of the minority community.

Senior Congress leader KC Venugopal slammed the UP government for stopping the Gandhi siblings on their way to Sambhal.

“It is basic humanity to stand by someone who has suffered such grief and loss. Rahul ji’s motto has been ‘Nafrat ke bazaar mein mohabbat ki dukaan’. And when the ruling regime has created an atmosphere of hatred, it is our duty as the Opposition to bring compassion, empathy and love,” Venugopal wrote on X.