Scuffle breaks out between police, Congress leaders outside party office in Lucknow

LUCKNOW: A scuffle broke out between Uttar Pradesh police and Congress leaders on Monday outside the UP Congress Office in Lucknow after the Congress delegation, led by state president Ajay Rai, was prevented from going to visit violence-hit Sambhal.

Meanwhile, Ajay Rai said that the delegation of the Congress party will visit Sambhal after the day when the police will inform them that restrictions have been lifted in the district. “The DCP and other police officials have said that they inform us when the restrictions are lifted. There are restrictions in Sambhal till December 10. The day the police inform us that restrictions have been lifted, a delegation of the Congress party will visit Sambhal”, Rai said.

#WATCH | Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai and other party leaders hold a protest and raise slogans outside the Party Office in Lucknow as Police stopped them from visiting violence-hit Sambhal. pic.twitter.com/g65rloTdnN

— ANI (@ANI) December 2, 2024

Congress leader Sachin Chaudhary alleged that the Uttar Pradesh police are preventing a delegation of the party from going to Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh and demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the matter. “Police are stopping us (from going to Sambhal). Earlier, they gave us the time for December 2. I just want to ask that if we cannot ask about the well-being of the victims, isn’t it a matter of shame? We demand a CBI inquiry into the matter. Police have been there at my residence since morning”, Chaudhary said.

Earlier today, Uttar Pradesh Police issued a notice to Congress state president Ajay Rai asking them not to visit violence-hit Sambhal. Rai was informed, “Keeping in mind the peace and communal sensitivity in Sambhal district, he should cooperate in the public interest and postpone his proposed program so that the order passed by the District Magistrate of Sambhal district, Section 163 BNSS is not violated”.

Tensions in Sambhal have been high since November 19 when clashes between protesters and police over the court-ordered survey of the Jama Masjid resulted in four deaths. (ANI)