Rahul, Priyanka stopped at Ghazipur border on way to violence-hit Sambhal

Heavy chaos was seen at the border as Congress workers clashed with the police after Rahul and Priyanka were stopped at the border; Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 enforced

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and newly elected Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi, en route to violence-affected Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh, were stopped on Wednesday at the Ghazipur border between Delhi and Noida.

 

Rahul Gandhi stepped out of his vehicle to engage in talks with senior police officers, but he was not allowed to proceed further. 

Heavy chaos was witnessed at the border as hundreds of Congress workers clashed with the police, who had blocked the highway to prevent the leaders from continuing their journey. Barricades were set up across the road, causing traffic to come to a halt as the Congress convoy arrived. Workers attempted to scale the barricades in protest.

 

The leaders left Delhi around 10.15 am and reached the border by 11.00 am, but their progress was halted. The incident led to severe traffic congestion, with thousands of vehicles stranded on the vital highway.

 

 

After being stopped by the police, Rahul Gandhi said, "We are trying to go to Sambhal. Police are refusing, not allowing us. As the leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, it is my right to go... I said that I am ready to go alone, I am ready to go with the police but they did not accept that either."

 

Gandhi, holding a copy of the Constitution amid tight security at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border, said the police's decision was a blow to democracy. "We want to go to Sambhal and see what happened there. We want to meet the people but I'm not being allowed my constitutional right. This is India where attempts are on to end the Constitution. But we will keep fighting," he said.

  In letters to the police commissioners of Gautam Buddha Nagar and Ghaziabad, as well as the superintendents of police in Amroha and Bulandshahr, Sambhal district magistrate said, “On November 24, a remaining survey was conducted, following which members of the Muslim community staged massive protests involving gunfire, stone-pelting, and arson. As a result, the situation in Sambhal district has become extremely sensitive.”

Sambhal violence: Prohibitory orders in place

Authorities in Sambhal had alerted neighbouring districts to prevent the Congress leaders from entering the region. The District Magistrate wrote to officials in Bulandshahr, Amroha, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddha Nagar, urging them to stop the Gandhis at the border and to closely monitor Rahul Gandhi’s movements on his way to Sambhal.

 

Barricades were set up at several locations, and vehicle checks were initiated along the Delhi-Sambhal route. Reports indicated significant traffic jams at multiple points on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway.

 

Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 (previously Section 144) has been enforced in Sambhal, banning a gathering of five or more individuals.

 

The Congress leaders were attempting to visit Sambhal despite restrictions that have been placed on outsider access to the area until December 10. These measures were imposed following violent clashes over a survey of the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid, which stemmed from a petition alleging the site was once home to a Harihar temple.