NEW DELHI: As both Houses resumed amid opposition protests and sloganeering on Tuesday, the Samajwadi Party (SP) cried foul over recent Sambhal violence in both Houses asserting that it was a “pre-planned conspiracy”.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the Yogi Adityanath-led UP government of thrusting violence upon Sambhal district to steer attention from the police “oppression” during the recently concluded bypoll elections.
While speaking in Lok Sabha, Akhilesh said that the violence in Sambhal was pre-planned and aimed at hurting the communal harmony of the country.
“Sambhal, known for its long-standing tradition of communal harmony, has experienced a sudden and well-planned incident aimed at disrupting this brotherhood. This event is a calculated conspiracy. The ongoing discussions about excavations are part of this strategy,” Akhilesh said.
“Bharatiya Janata Party and its supporters are repeatedly advocating for these excavations, which threaten the country’s unity and cultural heritage,” he added.
SP MP also accused the state authorities of acting in a biased manner and said that tension began in the district only after Friday prayers inside the Jama Masjid were disrupted by police barricades. He further said that the police tested the community’s patience resulting in injuries and fatalities.
“The incident coincided with the Uttar Pradesh elections, which were rescheduled from the 13th to the 20th. On November 19, 2024, a petition was filed against Sambhal’s Shahi Jama Masjid, and the court ordered a survey without hearing from the other party,” Akhilesh said.
“The district officials conducted the survey with police presence, and despite cooperation from the mosque committee, tensions arose when Friday prayers were disrupted by barricades. The next court date was set for November 29, 2024, but another survey was ordered for November 24, causing further unrest. The community’s patience was tested, and during the survey, clashes occurred, resulting in injuries and fatalities. The petitioners and certain officials are held responsible for the disturbance, and there are calls for their suspension and prosecution to ensure justice and prevent future unlawful actions,” he added
Meanwhile, party’s Ram Gopal Yadav also levelled similar charges against the UP government in Rajya Sabha and said that tensions escalated in the district only after locals suspected that the structure was going to be damaged by vandals.
“There is a 500-year-old mosque. A survey was conducted for it. The survey was completed peacefully within 2 hours. On the morning of the 24th, the entire Sambhal was turned into a police camp by 6 am. The people of Sambhal did not know why the police were deployed. Shortly after, the DM, SSP, and some lawyers who had submitted the application, along with a few others playing drums, went with the police and entered the mosque,” the SP MP said.
“The crowd suspected that there might be vandalism or something happening inside the mosque. The SDM opened the water tank there, and when water started flowing out, people suspected something was wrong, leading to unrest. The police fired shots, killing 5 people and injuring 20. Cases were filed against hundreds, and many were imprisoned, where they were severely beaten. My belief, along with others, is that in the previous elections in Uttar Pradesh, the police in neighboring districts did not allow anyone to vote and forcibly took control of the elections. All this happened in a way to divert attention from that,” he added.
Earlier, the opposition staged a walkout from Lok Sabha after Akhilesh Yadav was denied time to speak on Sambhal violence by the Speaker.
“This is a very serious matter. Five people have lost their lives,” Akhilesh said.
Speaker Birla reverted saying the members could raise the issue in the Zero Hour leading to a walkout protest by Yadav and his party colleagues. Some SP members, meanwhile, also rushed to the Well, raising slogans.
At least 5 people died and several others, including over 20 police personnel, were injured in Sambhal after violent clashes erupted following a court-mandated survey of the Mughal-era Jama Masjid.
The survey was ordered following a petition filed by senior advocate Vishnu Shanker Jain, claiming that the mosque was originally a temple.