New Delhi: Opposition members of Parliament on Monday slammed the government and the ruling BJP over the violence in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal, saying it was planned to polarise people on communal lines.
A day after violence rocked Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the BJP's use of power to create a rift between Hindus and Muslims was neither in the interest of the state nor the country. He also urged the Supreme Court to intervene in the matter as soon as possible.
Three people were killed and scores of others, including around 20 security personnel and four administration officials, were injured as protesters opposing a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque in Sambhal clashed with police on Sunday.
In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, "The biased and hasty attitude of the state government on the recent dispute in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, is extremely unfortunate. I express my deepest condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the violence and firing."
The administration, without listening to all the parties, insensitively took action that vitiated the atmosphere further and led to the deaths of people -- for which the BJP government is directly responsible, he charged. "The BJP's use of power to create a rift and discrimination between Hindu-Muslim communities is neither in the interest of the state nor the country. I request the Supreme Court to intervene in the matter as soon as possible and do justice," Gandhi said.
संभल, उत्तर प्रदेश में हालिया विवाद पर राज्य सरकार का पक्षपात और जल्दबाज़ी भरा रवैया बेहद दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण है। हिंसा और फायरिंग में जिन्होंने अपनों को खोया है उनके प्रति मेरी गहरी संवेदनाएं हैं।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 25, 2024
प्रशासन द्वारा बिना सभी पक्षों को सुने और असंवेदनशीलता से की गई कार्रवाई ने माहौल और…
The former Congress chief also appealed for peace and mutual harmony. "We all have to join together to ensure that India moves forward on the path of unity and constitution, not communalism and hatred," Gandhi asserted. The district administration has already imposed prohibitory orders and barred the entry of outsiders till November 30 following Sunday's clashes.
However, BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj dubbed the violence as "pre-planned", saying it was instigated by those who have been taken aback by his party's rise in the country, especially after its performance in the Uttar Pradesh assembly by-polls in which it won seven of the nine seats.
Samajwadi Party leader Dharmendra Yadav said the incident was unfortunate and the party would raise it in both Houses of Parliament. "We have given notices for adjournment. We will raise the issue (in the Houses)," the SP Lok Sabha member told reporters. Sambhal MP Ziaur Rahman Barq said the incident was "pre-planned" and members of the Muslim community were being targeted.
The Congress' Saharanpur MP Imran Masood alleged that the violence was state-sponsored as police were also involved. In the Lok Sabha too, some opposition members tried to raise the issue as soon as the House met for the day. The House took up obituary references and was adjourned as a mark of respect for the departed.
Internet services were soon suspended in Sambhal tehsil for 24 hours and the district administration declared a holiday in all schools for Monday. Violence broke out in the district as protesters opposing the survey of the Jama Masjid clashed with security personnel. The protesters torched vehicles and pelted the police with stones while the security personnel used tear gas and batons to disperse the mob.
Tension had been brewing in Sambhal since November 19 when the Jama Masjid was first surveyed on the court's orders following a petition claiming that a Harihar temple had stood at the site. On Sunday, trouble started early when a large group of people gathered near the mosque and started shouting slogans as the survey team began its work.
District officials said the survey could not be completed on Tuesday and was planned for Sunday to avoid interference with afternoon prayers. Deputy Inspector General of Police (Moradabad) Muniraj told reporters on Monday that Naeem, Bilal and Nauman -- the three men who died in Sunday's violence -- had been buried. All three were aged about 25. He later confirmed the death of a fourth person.
Divisional Commissioner (Moradabad) Aunjaneya Kumar Singh said on Sunday, "Shots were fired by miscreants... the PRO of the superintendent of police suffered a gunshot to the leg, the circle officer was hit by pellets and 15 to 20 security personnel were injured in the violence."
A constable also suffered a serious head injury while the deputy collector fractured his leg, he had said. The Congress on Sunday alleged that the Adityanath administration was squarely responsible for killing innocents and only the BJP-RSS was guilty of "setting fire" to peace and harmony in Sambhal.
The opposition party had said the videos of direct firing on the protesters depicted the horrifying result of a "well-planned conspiracy" by Adityanath and the BJP-RSS.
