Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, two Congress leaders, were stopped on Wednesday at the Ghazipur border while travelling to the violent Sambhal district in Uttar Pradesh. As Congress workers gathered to support the leaders, the Delhi-Meerut Motorway experienced severe traffic congestion due to the increased security measures.
Traffic Chaos at Ghazipur Border
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were stopped at the Ghazipur border on Wednesday while en route to Sambhal. Heavy security arrangements, including barricades, caused significant traffic congestion on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway as Congress workers gathered in large numbers to support the Gandhis.
Rahul Gandhi expressed his frustration over the situation, stating,
“We are trying to go to Sambhal, but the police are refusing. As LoP, it is my right to go, but they are stopping me. I am ready to go alone or with the police, but they did not accept that either. This is against the rights of the LoP and the Constitution. My constitutional right is not being given to me. This is the new India—to end the Constitution, to end Ambedkar's vision. We will keep fighting.”
#WATCH | At the Ghazipur border, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi says "We are trying to go to Sambhal, the police is refusing, they are not allowing us. As LoP, it is my right to go, but they are stopping me. I am ready to go alone, I am ready to go with the police, but they did not… pic.twitter.com/iFWMQRKmk3— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2024
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also criticised the restrictions, saying,
“Rahul Gandhi is the Leader of the Opposition; he has constitutional rights that cannot be denied. He even said he would go alone with the police, but they are not ready. The police have no answer. If they claim they’ve handled law and order, why this hesitation? Perhaps the situation in Uttar Pradesh is far worse than they admit.”
Purpose of the Visit
The Lok Sabha's Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, and his sister, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi, were travelling to Sambhal to visit with families impacted by the communal violence that occurred on November 24. They made the trip as part of their attempt to comprehend the situation on the ground and express solidarity with the victims.
#WATCH | At the Ghazipur border, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra says "Whatever happened in Sambhal is wrong. Rahul Gandhi is the leader of the opposition, he has constitutional rights and he cannot be stopped like this. He has the constitutional right to be allowed to go and… pic.twitter.com/abgStXCwCi— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2024
For more on the Sambhal Violence, read:Three Killed in UP’s Sambhal as Violence Erupts Over Mosque Survey
Congress delegation led by Leader of Opposition Mr @RahulGandhi ji has been stopped at Ghazipur border #UttarPradesh #Sambhal pic.twitter.com/D1KFRd1jB8— Supriya Bhardwaj (@Supriya23bh) December 4, 2024
Sambhal Prohibition Orders
Since violence erupted over a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, a mosque from the Mughal era, on November 24, Sambhal has been under prohibitory orders. Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which prohibits outsiders from entering the district until December 31, was cited by the administration.
In a letter to local police officers, Sambhal District Magistrate Rajendra Pensia had asked them to stop the Congress leaders from entering the district, citing "communal sensitivity."
Congress Pushes Back
Ajay Rai, the leader of the Uttar Pradesh Congress, criticised the limitations, stating that "Police are citing BNSS 163 in their missive." We will demand that Rahul ji and Priyanka ji be among the minimum of four individuals permitted entry.
#WATCH | Delhi: On Congress delegation going to Sambhal, UP Congress President Ajay Rai says, "Tomorrow morning the delegation will leave at 10 am. In this delegation, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Incharge Avinash Pandey, myself and our MPs from UP, all of… pic.twitter.com/rpPkX5yD1W— ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2024
Five additional Uttar Pradesh MPs were part of the Congress delegation, emphasising the party's focus on solving the problem.
Political Responses
Opposition leaders have responded strongly to the Sambhal violence, raising questions about how the authorities are handling the situation and whether communal harmony will be maintained.
At a rally in Delhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge charged that the BJP was inciting communal tensions by carrying out divisive measures like the Sambhal mosque survey. He said,
“This government is creating divisions in society instead of ensuring unity and safety. Their actions are a direct attack on the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb of this country.”
Kharge also attacked the BJP for disregarding the counsel of Mohan Bhagwat, the chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), who had previously stated that the goal should not be to locate temples beneath every mosque.
"Will they now demolish landmarks like the Red Fort and Qutub Minar, which were built by Muslims?" he asked, casting doubt on the BJP's intentions.
Kharge called on OBCs, Dalits, and minorities to unite in defence of democracy and the Constitution. "This government harbours hatred towards common people," he claimed. We are fighting that hatred, and fighting it requires political power.
मोदी-शाह तो अपने लीडर मोहन भागवत जी की बात भी नहीं मानते, कल लाल क़िले, ताज महल, चार मीनार, सब तुड़वाकर उसके नीचे कुछ ढूंढेंगे !
आज देश में हर जगह सर्वे वाले ये पता लगा रहे हैं कि कहां पहले मंदिर थे और कहां मस्जिद थी।
लेकिन 2023 में RSS प्रमुख मोहन भागवत ने कहा था- 'हमारा… pic.twitter.com/FvNrlydEzK— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) December 1, 2024
Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the Samajwadi Party, described the incident as a "well-planned conspiracy." He charged that the government was trying to undermine communal harmony while he was in Parliament, saying,
"The BJP and its allies are disrupting India’s Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb.”
Rahul Gandhi’s Commitment to Justice
Rahul Gandhi reaffirmed his intention to meet the victims despite being stopped at the border. He was scheduled to visit families impacted by the violence and take a road trip back to Delhi. "Rahul ji is determined to highlight the plight of the victims and stand with them during these difficult times," a Congress worker at the Ghazipur border stated.
A Nervous Community
Restrictions have been extended until the end of December, but Sambhal is still tense. Questions concerning administrative choices and the future of regional communal harmony have been raised by the events of November 24 and the political responses that followed, which have kept the district in the public eye.
On December 1, 2024, a three-member judicial commission made up of retired IPS officer Arvind Kumar Jain, retired IAS officer Amit Mohan Prasad, and retired Allahabad High Court judge Devendra Kumar Arora visits the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. | Photo Credit: PTI
What's Next?
The BJP defends its stance on upholding law and order as Congress leaders continue to demand access to the district plagued by violence. The standoff emphasises how difficult it is to strike a balance between public rights to justice and political representation and security.
The urgency of re-establishing harmony and confidence in Sambhal while holding all parties responsible is highlighted by this ongoing tale.
Inputs by Agencies
Image Source: Multiple Agencies
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