Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, on Wednesday sharply criticized the Uttar Pradesh police for blocking his visit to Sambhal, a region affected by recent violence. The police stopped his convoy at the Ghazipur border, citing security concerns and denying him the opportunity to meet the victims of the unrest. Gandhi argued that this was an infringement of his constitutional rights as the LoP.
Speaking about the incident, Gandhi said, “We are trying to go to Sambhal, but the police are not allowing us. As the Leader of the Opposition, it is my right to go, but they are stopping me. I was willing to go alone and accompany the police, but they didn’t accept that either. They’ve told us to return in a few days. This is an attack on the rights of the LoP and the Constitution. We want to visit Sambhal, understand the situation, and meet the people. My constitutional rights are being denied. This is a new India that disregards the Constitution, a country that undermines Ambedkar’s Constitution. But we will continue to fight for our rights.”
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress leader and Rahul Gandhi’s sister, supported her brother’s stance, asserting that as the Leader of the Opposition, he had every right to meet with the victims of violence. She criticized the police for preventing the visit and said, “What happened in Sambhal is wrong. Rahul Gandhi, as the Leader of the Opposition, has the constitutional right to meet the victims. He cannot be stopped like this. He even said he would go along with the police, but they refused. The police cannot justify this decision. It seems that Uttar Pradesh’s law and order situation is so out of hand that they cannot manage even a visit by the LoP. Why are they so arrogantly claiming that they’ve handled the law and order situation?”
In contrast, Uttar Pradesh’s Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak accused Congress leaders of politicizing the violence in Sambhal and disrupting the state’s law and order. He said, “Sadly, they are trying to politicize the Sambhal violence. Please do not disturb law and order in Uttar Pradesh. Your visit is causing unnecessary tension. We have recovered cartridge shells that came from Pakistan, and investigations are underway. Those responsible for the violence will not go unpunished. Uttar Pradesh has changed, and it is now focusing on development and law and order. They will not succeed in dividing UP. Whenever there is a major disturbance, we impose Section 144, prohibiting gatherings until peace is restored. Congress should refrain from such activities while this order is in effect.”
The violence in Sambhal began on November 24 when a mob attacked a team of officials surveying a Mughal-era mosque. A local court initiated the survey in response to a plea that a Hindu temple had been destroyed for the mosque’s construction. The unrest led to the deaths of four people and left many others injured.