Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav slam BJP over Sambhal violence, blame govt

NEW DELHI: Congress and Samajwadi Party accused the BJP govt in UP of fanning communal sentiments and "orchestrating a riot" in Sambhal over the survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid.

Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi sought the Supreme Court's intervention to ensure justice while SP chief Akhilesh Yadav demanded that those in the administration responsible for the deaths be suspended and murder cases be filed against them.

With Sambhal MP Zia-ur-Rehman Barq by his side in Parliament, Yadav claimed the court gave survey orders without hearing the other side. "Officials without reading the order reached there for the survey. The masjid committee, people's representatives... cooperated. The survey was completed that day. Who gave orders for a second survey? The masjid committee and others again cooperated. When people gathered outside the mosque and asked why the survey was needed, the circle officer abused them. Some people pelted stones, to which police opened fire. Those responsible for vitiating Sambhal's environment and filing this petition, along with the police and administration, should be held responsible," he added.

"The incident that has happened is unfortunate. When our MP Zia-ur Rehman was not even in Sambhal, why has an FIR been filed against him?" the SP chief asked.

Soon after Lok Sabha met for the day, Congress's Gaurav Gogoi sought to raise the Sambhal firing but Speaker Om Birla read out obituary references and adjourned the House. Opposition leaders, including Yadav, had given notices in the House to take up the Sambhal issue for discussion.

Barq said the incident was "pre-planned" and members of the Muslim community were being targeted.

In a post on X in Hindi, Rahul criticised the "biased and hasty attitude" of the state govt and said, "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. We all have to join together to ensure that India moves forward on the path of unity and Constitution, not communalism and hatred."

Newly elected MP from Wayanad Priyanka Gandhi said, "The way the administration acted in haste in such a sensitive matter without listening to the other side, without taking both the parties into confidence, shows that the govt itself spoiled the atmosphere there."


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