In Lok Sabha, Akhilesh flags ‘pre-planned’ Sambhal violence, demands murder cases against district officials

Utilising the Zero Hour, Akhilesh said the obsession with excavating structures across India that ‘BJP functionaries and their friends’ have adopted would destroy the country’s harmony. He also alleged that the UP bypolls were advanced from November 13 to 20 with this plan in mind.

“This talk of digging that we see all over the country by the BJP and its friends will make us lose our harmony and our country’s composite culture. UP was to vote in the bypolls, and the bypolls were first slated for the 13th (of November). The election was advanced to the 20th,” Akhilesh said, pointing out that the Places of Worship Act is already in place.

He was referring to the 1991 Act which laid down that except Ayodhya and the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the status quo at every religious place would be maintained as it was on August 15, 1947.

On November 24, four people died and several others, including police personnel, were injured in the violence during the court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal. The Sambhal police have arrested 30 people, including women, in connection with the violence.

The Kannauj MP said a petition against Sambhal’s Shahi Jama Masjid was made with a local judge in Chandausi in the district on November 19. “The court without hearing the other side on the same day gave orders for the survey. It is surprising that the DM and SP reached there within two hours for the survey with a police force without even reading the court orders. The Jama Masjid Committee cooperated. The DM and SP said after 2.5 hours that the survey was over and the report would be sent to court,” Akhilesh said.

He added that on November 22, when people went for the Friday prayers, the police placed barricades there. “People exercised restraint, quietly read the namaz and did not protest. November 29 was the next date of the court, and the Jama Masjid committee and people of the Muslim community were preparing for the same. But on November 23, the administration and police said there would be another survey the next morning.”

Akhilesh said the mosque committee and its lawyer responded that the survey had already been done according to the court’s order. He added that they underlined that if there was to be another survey, they would abide by a fresh court order if it comes.

“But the DM and SP of Sambhal did not listen to them and, autocratically, they came again early the next morning. The committee allowed another survey. After 1.5 hours, people got to know this and began to gather there,” Akhilesh said while reading out from his speech. “They sought to know why the survey was being done, but the circle officer showered abuses on them, and ordered a lathi charge that injured several people. Some people pelted stones in retaliation, and the police opened fire with their service pistols and private weapons. There is a video recording of that. Dozens were injured. Five people who had stepped out of their houses for shopping died.”

Akhilesh said the police and administration, apart from the petitioners, are responsible for the disturbances in Sambhal. “They (involved officials) should be suspended and charged with murder so that people get justice and none dares to commit such unconstitutional and illegal actions in future.”

He then took a dig at the BJP, saying, “This is a fight between Delhi and Lucknow. Kabhi Dilli pahoche the jis raah se, Lucknow wale bhi us se pahochna chahte hain (The way they reached Delhi, the Lucknow people also want to reach…)”