NEW DELHI: Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, including newly-elected Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with five party MPs from Uttar Pradesh, is set to visit Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district on Wednesday, which has witnessed violent clashes that occurred late last month.
Uttar Pradesh Congress Chief Ajay Rai announced that newly-elected Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is also likely to join the delegation.
Sambhal District Magistrate (DM) Rajendra Pensiya on Tuesday requested officials from neighbouring districts, including Bulandshahr, Amroha, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddha Nagar, to prevent Rahul Gandhi from entering Sambhal by stopping him at their district borders.
The Sambhal DM addressed letters to the police commissioners of Gautam Buddha Nagar and Ghaziabad, as well as the superintendents of police in Amroha and Bulandshahr.
Meanwhile, in Parliament, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday accused the BJP of orchestrating a "well-planned" conspiracy behind the violence in Sambhal. He alleged that police personnel used both official and personal weapons, resulting in the deaths of innocent people and injuries to several others after locals pelted stones in protest against police high-handedness.
Congress General Secretary Avinash Pande will also join the party MPs, Rai told the media.
Prohibitory orders under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) have been extended until December 31, preventing any entry into Sambhal, where four people were killed and several others injured in violence during a court-mandated survey of a Mughal-era mosque.
On Monday, scores of Congress workers clashed with police as Rai and senior Congress leader P.L. Punia attempted to lead a fact-finding delegation to Sambhal.
The police stopped their vehicle at the gate of the Congress office in Lucknow, leading Rai and the workers to stage a dharna.
Speaking to reporters, Rai said, "The administration has told me that prohibitory orders are in place in Sambhal till December 10. We will definitely visit once the orders are lifted. The government is afraid and trying to hide its failures."
Congress leaders accused the BJP government of suppressing dissent.
The Uttar Pradesh Congress in a post on X said, "Though the BJP government, through conspiracy and misuse of power, has prevented the Congressmen under the leadership of State President Shri @kashikirai ji to go to Sambhal, we will continue to fight against the violence that took place there due to their conspiracy! The Congress Party will expose the conspiracy of the BJP behind the violence in Sambhal and bring out its true face before the public. This state cannot run at all with the slogan 'batenge toh katenge'."
Sambhal has been tense since November 19, when a court-ordered survey of the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid led to claims that a Harihar temple previously stood at the site. Violence broke out during a second survey on November 24, with clashes between protesters and security forces.
Tauqeer Ahmed, the Congress' Sambhal city president, said the delegation aimed to offer condolences and appeal for peace.
The BJP accused the Congress and Samajwadi Party of engaging in "political tourism".
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said, "If two SP goons fought among themselves, why is the Congress creating drama now?"
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak added, "Our commitment is to maintain law and order, and we will not allow anyone to disrupt peace."
The judicial commission investigating the violence visited the affected areas on Sunday.