The team of Samajwadi Party delegates was scheduled to visit Sambhal to gather information regarding the recent violence at the Shahi Jama Masjid. In a sharp political reaction condemning the act of extending the ban, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav slammed the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government for administrative failure and alleged that the BJP was attempting to shield its negligence.
A 15-member delegation from Uttar Pradesh's Samajwadi Party (SP) was stopped from entering the violence-hit Sambhal on Saturday as the administration extended the ban on the entry of outsiders into Sambhal till December 10. The ban on the entry of outsiders was set to expire on Saturday.
The team of SP delegates was scheduled to visit Sambhal to gather information regarding the recent violence at the Shahi Jama Masjid. The team was reportedly formed under the leadership of UP State Assembly Leader of the Opposition Mata Prasad Pandey.
Moreover, in a bid to maintain law and order in view of the recent communal unrest, curbs under Section 163 (power to issue order in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger) of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita were imposed. Initially, it was set to expire on November 30, Sunday, before it got extended till December 31.
In a statement issued in Lucknow, District Magistrate Rajendra Pensiya said, "To maintain peace and order, the imposition of Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita in the district has been extended to December 31."
"No outsider, any social organisation or public representative can enter into the borders of the district without seeking the permission of the competent authority till December 10," he added.
In a sharp political reaction condemning the act, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav slammed the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government for administrative failure and alleged that the BJP was attempting to shield its negligence.
"Imposing a ban is a failure of the BJP government's governance, administration and government management. If the government had imposed such a ban earlier on those who dreamed of causing riots and made people raise frenzied slogans, the atmosphere of harmony and peace in Sambhal would not have been spoiled," Mr Yadav wrote.
Sharing similar sentiment, Samajwadi Party MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq also said, "Unfortunately, the police have stopped us...I condemn it. Who will raise the voice of the public? If the police, administration are standing against the people then it is the responsibility of the opposition to help them...We want to give the report of the incident (Sambhal) to SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav. But, the government is doing all this to hide the misdeeds of the police."
Violence killed four people: The clash killed four people while several others, including police personnel, were injured in Sambhal on November 24.
25 people arrested: So far, police have arrested 25 individuals and registered seven FIRs, which include charges against Zia-ur-Rehman Barq, the Samajwadi Party MP from Sambhal, Sohail Iqbal, son of the party's local MLA Iqbal Mehmood, and over 2,750 unidentified suspects.
SC order: The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the Sambhal trial court to halt proceedings in the case and its survey involving the mosque until the petition filed by the mosque committee, challenging the survey order, is heard by the Allahabad High Court.