Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: In a dramatic confrontation, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi clashed with the police on Wednesday when his convoy was stopped at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border during his attempt to visit violence-hit Sambhal. The incident sparked heated debates in Parliament, with Acting Lok Sabha Speaker Jagdambika Pal questioning Gandhi’s absence from the House during the session.
As Congress MP Mohammad Jawed raised the issue of Gandhi being blocked at the border, Pal interrupted, asking, “The House is in session, what is the Leader of Opposition doing outside? He should have been present in the House.”
Gandhi, along with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other Congress leaders, was stopped at the Ghazipur border by police citing security concerns. Expressing his frustration, Gandhi said, “As Leader of Opposition, it is my constitutional right to visit Sambhal. We want to meet the people and see what happened, but the police are not allowing us. This is an attack on the Constitution and the rights of the opposition.”
Earlier, Sambhal District Magistrate Rajendra Pensia had instructed officials to stop Gandhi’s convoy at district borders to prevent his entry into the violence-hit area. Despite this, a Congress delegation, including UP Congress leaders Sachin Chaudhary and Rizwan Qureshi, managed to reach Sambhal. They facilitated a phone call between Priyanka Gandhi and the victims’ families and offered their condolences.
The clashes in Sambhal erupted during a court-mandated survey of the Mughal-era Jama Masjid, which some claim was built over a temple. The violence left five dead and over 20 injured, including police personnel.
The political controversy intensified as BJP leaders criticized the Congress for politicizing the situation, while Congress leaders accused the BJP of stifling opposition voices.
