New Delhi: The BJP has criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for attempting to visit Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh without prior notice to the authorities, describing the move as an act of “sheer desperation” amid a rivalry with the Samajwadi Party for minority votes. The comments were made by BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi during a press briefing on Wednesday.
Sambhal has been under strict restrictions following violence on November 24, sparked by protests against a court-ordered survey of a mosque allegedly constructed on the site of a former Hindu temple. Authorities have barred the entry of outsiders into the district until December 31 to maintain law and order.
‘Not out of genuine concern but for media attention’
Trivedi accused Gandhi of visiting Sambhal not out of “genuine concern” but for media attention, asserting, “Rahul Gandhi’s visit was motivated by the desire for a better photo opportunity than that of his party’s ally, the Samajwadi Party.”
On Wednesday morning, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and other senior Congress leaders were stopped by police at the Ghazipur border due to prohibitory orders in Sambhal. A senior police officer confirmed to news agency PTI that heavy security and barricades had been set up to prevent entry.
Security protocol breach alleged
Trivedi highlighted Gandhi’s Z-plus security status, which mandates advanced intimation to authorities about his movements to ensure proper area sanitisation and security clearance. “If he truly intended to visit Sambhal with sincerity, he would have informed the authorities in advance. His actions appear to be a mere formality rather than a display of genuine sympathy,” Trivedi added.
The BJP spokesperson also claimed that the Congress leader’s attempt was part of internal competition within the INDIA bloc to capture minority votes, saying, “The so-called yatra is not about people’s welfare but about securing their core vote base.”
Violence in Sambhal
Violence in Sambhal erupted on November 24 during the second survey of a Mughal-era mosque. Four people were killed, and several others injured, prompting the extension of prohibitory orders under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita until the end of the year.
Trivedi also accused the Congress of merely staging a show of support, echoing senior SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav’s remarks that Congress’s actions were symbolic. The BJP maintained that the opposition alliance was “falling apart”, with member parties vying for influence among the electorate.
