‘Use of power to create a rift’: Rahul Gandhi attacks BJP over Sambhal violence
Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said on Monday that the BJP’s use of power to create a divide between Hindus and Muslims was not in the best interest of either.
The state or the country. His remarks come a day after violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal resulted in the death of three peeople, including security and administrative personnel. A fourth person, who was injured in the clashes, died in the hospital on Monday.
The Congress leader urged the Supreme Court to intervene promptly in the matter. The violence in Sambhal erupted on Sunday when protesters opposing a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque clashed with police.
“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,” Rahul Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X (formerly Twitter).
He accused the administration of taking action without listening to all parties, which worsened the situation and led to the deaths of people. He held the BJP government directly responsible for the incident.
“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 added.
The Lok Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh’s Rae Bareli 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 said.
Tensions high in Sambhal
The district administration has imposed prohibitory orders and restricted ‘outsiders’ from entering Sambhal till November 30 following the clashes on Sunday.
Internet services in Sambhal tehsil were suspended for 24 hours, and the district administration declared a holiday for all schools on Monday.
Violence erupted in the district when protesters opposing the survey of the Jama Masjid clashed with security forces. Protesters set vehicles on fire and threw stones at the police, while security personnel resorted to tear gas and batons to disperse the crowd.
Tensions had been building in Sambhal since November 19, when a court-ordered survey of the Jama Masjid began, following a petition that claimed a Harihar temple once stood at the site.
The Congress alleges that videos showing direct firing at protesters were evidence of a “well-planned conspiracy” by Adityanath and the BJP-RSS to provoke violence.