Rahul Gandhi to visit Sambhal today, police chiefs told to stop him from coming

Rahul is likely to be accompanied by his sister and newly elected MP from Wayanad Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Moradabad Divisional Commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh told The Indian Express: “We have instructed district officials in nearby districts to ensure that he (Rahul) is not allowed to enter the district.”

In a letter to police and administrative officials of Gautam Budh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Amroha and Bulandshahr, Sambhal District Magistrate Rajender Pensiya said that keeping in mind the communal sensitivity of the district, officials must make arrangements to stop Rahul Gandhi on the borders of the districts and keep an eye on his activities on Wednesday.

The letter stated that this was being done keeping in mind the violence after the court-ordered survey of the mosque, and orders barring any outsider, social organisation and elected representative from entering the district till December 10.

Reacting to the orders issued by the Sambhal administration, the Congress said the BJP was scared of Rahul Gandhi and was conspiring to stop him from meeting people in Sambhal.

“The way the violence broke out in Sambhal is part of the ruling party’s toolkit. What is it? It is to increase communal tension in the country. It is done through TV debates, statements, PILs, Bills being without discussion in Parliament. In any way. Even during Covid, they ran the same toolkit. They can’t win elections without tension. There are ways to win elections. Through good work… The shortcut is to win elections through tension. This is the favourite toolkit of the BJP and the Sangh. They aren’t worried about anything,” said Congress media & publicity department chief Pawan Khera on Tuesday

Khera accused the “BJP and Sangh of opening markets of hatred everywhere”. They shiver at Rahul’s name. They are so scared that if Rahul Gandhi wants to go to Sambhal, and meet families who have lost their children, they panic. They start conspiring to stop him. The British also hatched multiple conspiracies to stop the Congress… There is no hatred in India’s soul and it has always defeated hatred,” he added.

On Monday, a fact-finding team of state Congress leaders was stopped from leaving the party office in Lucknow for Sambhal.