File picture of Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai holding a silent protest dharna against violence in Sambhal, in Lucknow
| Photo Credit: Sandeep Saxena
Police have erected barricades outside the Uttar Pradesh Congress committee office and the residences of several party leaders who were to accompany the unit’s chief Ajay Rai on a fact-finding visit to violence-hit Sambhal, a party spokesperson said on Monday (December 2, 2024).
Vikas Srivastava, the spokesperson, said the barricades were erected on Sunday night itself. The Congress had plans to visit Sambhal on Monday (December 2, 2024).
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Earlier in the morning, Uttar Pradesh Police issued a notice to the Congress State president Rai asking them not to visit violence-hit Sambhal.
Speaking to PTI, Mr. Rai said, “We had decided to visit Sambhal on December 2 as the government ban on the entry of public representatives was to be lifted by November 30. Now, they have suddenly extended the ban till December 10. The government clearly wants to hide its flaws.”
Mr. Rai spent the night at the Congress committee office along with several party workers.
“If prevented, we would agitate peacefully in a Gandhian way as we are followers of Mahatma Gandhi,” he said.
‘Political tourism’
Reacting to the Congress visit to Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Monday (December 2, 2024) said that the Congress party want to go there for “political tourism,” adding that no one is allowed to break the law.
“Be it Samajwadi Party or Congress — the opposition parties think that they will benefit electorally by going to Sambhal… In every situation, we will maintain law and order in the state, no one will be allowed to break the law,” Brajesh Pathak told ANI.
He further said that an unbiased investigation is underway in the Sambhal incident.
“A judicial committee has inspected the area, an unbiased investigation is going on and whatever decision the Court takes, we will follow that. Congress party want to go there for a political tourism,” he added.
Violence erupted in Sambhal on November 24 during a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, killing four people and injuring many others.
The survey was linked to a petition claiming that a Harihar temple once stood at the site of the mosque.
(With inputs from PTI, ANI)
Published – December 02, 2024 12:27 pm IST
