Congress To Take Out Candle Light Marches In UP To Protest Against BJP On Sambhal Violence

Congress plans Gandhian candle marches across UP to protest against the BJP after police stopped Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi from visiting Sambhal on December 4.

New Delhi:The Congress has resorted to a Gandhian way of protest to counter the ruling BJP in Uttar Pradesh over the recent violence in Sambhal. A day after the state police stopped Leader of the Opposition (Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi and Lok Sabha member Priyanka Gandhi’s visit to Sambhal on December 4 at the borders with Delhi, the Congress will stage candle marches across Uttar Pradesh on Thursday to peacefully protest the state government’s move.

“I have asked all district teams to stage candlelight marches in their respective areas on Thursday against the government blocking our leaders. They have been asked to culminate the candle marches at the statue of a well-known personality and pray that better sense prevails with the state government and the victims of the Sambhal violence get justice,” AICC in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Avinash Pande told ETV Bharat.

“This is a Gandhian way of protesting against government high-handedness. We are highlighting the need to restore peace in the violence-affected area and want quick justice for the families of those killed in the recent violence. Even though the constitutional rights of the Leader of the Opposition were denied to him, we will remain peaceful,” he said.

On December 4, Pande had urged all the party workers in the state to reach the Delhi border to support the Leader of the Opposition, who was going to Sambhal in Western Uttar Pradesh.

The grand old party protested the state government’s move in Parliament also by moving an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha on Thursday and alleged the saffron party was trying to push polarization in the country.

“Our leader had earlier gone to Manipur to ensure the violence-hit people there. He tried to visit and speak to the people in Sambhal on December 4 for the same reason. We are committed to communal harmony, but the BJP does not want that and tries to divide people,” Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi told ETV Bharat.

The Congress and its allies have been flagging the issue outside the Parliament as well over the past few days. SP leader Akhilesh Yadav and his wife Dimple Yadav, both Lok Sabha members, too, slammed the state government’s move to block various leaders from going to Sambhal and blamed the administration for covering up the case.

“What are they trying to hide? I was there at the Delhi border on December 4 where heavy police force was present at various locations to stop Rahul Gandhi from entering the state. He even wanted to go alone, but was not allowed. He can certainly visit later on but why do all this,” said Pande.

According to senior state Uttar Pradesh Congress leader Vivek Bansal, the party will continue to fight for the people and there was no need to stage a loud protest. “The message should be conveyed and that is being done through peaceful protests. We need not raise loud slogans to make our point. The state government is trying to keep the communal situation on the boil for their reasons. In doing that they even denied the rights of a constitutional figure. That in itself speaks for their actions,” Bansal told ETV Bharat.