New Delhi: Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has constitutional rights to visit violence-hit Sambhal on December 4, meet the families of those allegedly killed in recent police firing and appeal for peace, senior Congress leaders said on Tuesday.
"LoP Rahul Gandhi, who is also a Lok Sabha MP from Rae Bareli will visit Sambhal on December 4 to meet the families of those affected by the recent violence. He has a constitutional right to visit the place," Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai told ETV Bharat.
"What does the state police have to hide in Sambhal? Why are they not letting anyone visit there? There seems to be a pattern in Uttar Pradesh. Earlier, our leaders were stopped from visiting Hathras, Unnao and Lakhimpur to meet the victims there. In all those cases, the allegations of the opposition turned out to be true. The LoP also visited violence-torn Manipur state to assure the victims and appealed for peace. What was wrong with that," he said.
The Congress leader was reacting to the state police reportedly urging the Rae Bareli MP to reconsider his planned visit to Sambhal on December 4 after a party delegation led by Rai was denied permission to visit the violence-hit area in western Uttar Pradesh on December 2.
On November 30, a delegation of Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders was not allowed by the state police to visit the area. After that, the Congress leaders were apprehensive that they too might be stopped, which turned out to be true.
Congress Lok Sabha MP from Saharanpur in western Uttar Pradesh Imran Masood, expressed concern that the state administration will try to block Rahul Gandhi’s way on December 4 and may do right at the border with Delhi.
"I think the state administration will certainly try to block Rahul Gandhi's way as the BJP is scared of him. But we will not let it go. We are also going along with our leader. Let us see what happens on Wednesday. The state administration can’t do this as Rahul Gandhi holds a constitutional post," Masood told ETV Bharat.
According to the MP, the problem started with the survey which goes against a 1991 law banning any changes to a religious structure.
"The said law is very clear that the status quo of a religious structure can't be changed but the survey ordered by a lower court was based on an oral observation made by the former chief justice of the Supreme Court that a study can be done. In practice, only the written law and not oral observations of judges should matter," he said.
Both the Congress and ally SP have slammed the Uttar Pradesh government over the recent communal violence in Sambhal in which five civilians were allegedly killed during police firing. The Uttar Pradesh police said it had to open fire to defend itself from a mob attacking with stones which left around 30 security staff injured.
The local residents protested over a court ordered survey of a mosque built during the reign of first Mughal emperor Babur in 1526. The petitioners claimed the mosque was built over the ruins of a temple and demanded that Hindus may be given permission to pray there.
Later, the matter reached Supreme Court which stayed the implementation of the local court order till the High Court decided the issue in order to maintain peace in the area. "It will take time for peace to return to Sambhal,” Masood added.
