Sambhal Violence Sparks Political Outrage; SP Blames BJP For Stoking Communal Tensions

By Fnf correspondent | PUBLISHED: 25, Nov 2024, 18:35 pm IST | UPDATED: 25, Nov 2024, 18:35 pm IST

New Delhi: Violence broke out in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal on Sunday when locals clashed with police over a court-ordered survey of the Mughal-era Jama Masjid. The clashes took four lives and have left the city on the edge of a trigger point, opening up a heated political exchange.

This response was followed by the administration of Uttar Pradesh clamping down strictly on security measures to prevent any further unrest. The schools and colleges were shut, internet services suspended and prohibitory orders enforced under Section 144. Streets in Sambhal continued to be eerily empty, with patrolling law enforcement troops attempting to maintain order.

The police have since filed cases against Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq, Nawab Suhail Iqbal (son of SP MLA Iqbal Mehmood), and over 400 others accused in the case. Still, SP leaders fired back at them, accusing the BJP-led state government of deliberately fanning communal tension for political mileage.

SP MP Awadhesh Prasad termed the incident "heartbreaking and painful", blaming the ruling BJP for orchestrating unrest to divert attention from pressing electoral issues. "This violence was not a coincidence; it was carefully planned to suppress dissent and distract from election outcomes," Prasad said at a press briefing today.

Prasad also defended his party colleague, Zia Ur Rehman Barq, saying that the allegations against him were false. "Barq was with us during the incident. These fabricated cases aim to silence him and stop him from raising his voice in Parliament," he added.

The SP chief, Akhilesh Yadav, weighed in by accusing the government of sending the survey team to the mosque with a "very deliberate motive" to provoke unrest. "It was deliberately done in the morning to derail discussions on election results. The BJP is using these incidents to polarize voters and maintain its grip on power," Yadav said.

SP MP Afzal Ansari shared similar opinion terms the violence "well-planned provocation" by the state government. "Innocent people are being falsely implicated to divert focus from real issues. This is not governance; it is intimidation," he remarked.

The Congress party attacked the Yogi Adityanath government also with a growing trend of communal incidents in the state. Senior leaders in the Congress addressed the administration for not keeping the peace and demanded accountability.

"This is not the first time Uttar Pradesh has witnessed such deliberate disruptions. The government must take responsibility for the rising lawlessness," said a Congress spokesperson.

The Uttar Pradesh government assured that strict actions will be taken against the perpetrators of violence. Officials said that efforts were made to restore normalcy in the Sambhal district as investigations into the incidents are being carried out to bring the perpetrators to justice.

"The state will not tolerate any disruption of peace. Those involved in the violence, irrespective of party affiliations, will face legal consequences," an official from the administration stated.

The Jama Masjid survey and the subsequent unrest have become a flashpoint in the state’s already charged political atmosphere, with opposition parties accusing the BJP of weaponizing communal issues for electoral advantage. As investigations continue, Sambhal remains under heavy security, with residents hoping for a swift resolution to restore peace.