New Delhi [India]: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of attempting to escalate tensions in violence-hit Sambhal by planning a visit to the area, despite the state government barring Union Ministers from doing so.
Speaking to media, Joshi alleged, “There is a law and order issue in Sambhal, and they (Congress leaders) are going there to create unrest. The state government has decided that no cabinet minister will visit the area, yet the Leader of Opposition wants to go there and inflame the situation.”
Joshi’s remarks came after Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra defended Rahul Gandhi’s right to visit Sambhal, emphasizing his constitutional privileges. “Rahul Gandhi is the Leader of Opposition; he has constitutional rights and cannot be stopped like this. He has the right to visit and meet the victims,” Priyanka said earlier. She added that despite Rahul offering to travel alone with the Uttar Pradesh police, he was still denied entry.
Rahul Gandhi, accompanied by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other Congress leaders, was stopped by police at the Ghazipur border while attempting to proceed to Sambhal. They eventually returned to Delhi.
The violence in Sambhal erupted on November 24 during an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) examination of a Mughal-era mosque, prompted by a local court petition alleging the mosque was constructed on the site of a Harihar temple. The clashes resulted in four fatalities and injuries among both police personnel and locals.
Addressing the situation, Priyanka Gandhi criticized the Uttar Pradesh government, stating, “Perhaps the situation in Uttar Pradesh is so dire that they cannot handle even this much. Why do they arrogantly claim they have the law and order under control?”
The incident has fueled political tensions, with the BJP and Congress exchanging accusations over handling the sensitive situation in Sambhal.