Gandhi Siblings Leave For Simmering Sambhal, UP Cops Ready To Stop Them

New Delhi:

Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra set out for the Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh to take stock of the situation in the area in the aftermath of violence over the survey of a mosque. Congress workers have gathered outside their 10 Janpath residence to accompany the Gandhi siblings to Sambhal. Massive security arrangements have been made on the route and Uttar Pradesh police will try to stop the Gandhis from reaching Sambhal, citing sensitive law and order situation in the area.

Prohibitory orders are in place in the western Uttar Pradesh town after four people were killed and several others injured in violent clashes with police during a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid. The Mughal-era mosque is at the centre of a legal battle after some petitions claimed it was built on the site of a Hindu temple. Local Samajwadi Party MP Zia Ur Rehman, Samajwadi Party MLA Mahmood’s son Sohail Iqbal and over 700 unidentified people have been charged in the FIR filed in connection with the violence.

Police and administration have said they would not allow outsiders to visit the area, citing the law and order situation. The prohibitory orders have been extended to December 31. Earlier, a delegation of Samajwadi Party MPs was stopped from entering the district.

District Magistrate Rajendra Pensia has written to the police commissioners of Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad and the police superintendents of Amroha and Bulandshahr and urged them to stop Mr Gandhi. Besides the Gandhi siblings, five Congress MPs from Uttar Pradesh are part of the delegation.

Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai has told news agency PTI that they will insist that at least a four-member delegation be allowed to proceed to Sambhal.