Samajwadi Party MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq, who has been accused of ‘instigation’ in the Sambhal violence, criticised the police report of the incident and accused the administration of attempting to cover up their negligence by implicating his name.
“Police have mentioned my name in the report to hide the truth, to hide their negligence and so that I cannot help my people. I will keep raising my voice for my people to get them their rights and justice.” SP MP Barq told ANI.
The MP claimed that the authorities are trying to shift the focus away from their negligence and the failure to control the unrest.
Speaking to the media, Barq said, “The police have mentioned my name in the report to hide the truth, to hide their negligence and that I cannot help my people. I will keep raising my voice for my people to get them their rights and justice.”
He emphasised his commitment to the people of Sambhal and promised to pursue justice through legal means, saying, “Whatever legal battle will be there, it will be fought with full strength and we will fight this battle.”
The violence in Sambhal, which has led to tension and unrest in the area, remains under investigation.
Earlier, Moradabad Divisional Commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh on Monday confirmed that those accused in the Sambhal incident include a Samajwadi Party (SP) MP and the son of a local MLA.
In a joint press conference earlier, Sambhal SP Krishna Kumar Bishnoi also said that two accused, identified as Zia Ur Rehman Barq and Sohail Iqbal, had been arrested for allegedly instigating the mob to the violence.
SP MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq had, however, denied the allegations of instigating violence in Sambhal over the mosque survey.
He denied the allegations and accused the Uttar Pradesh police administration of ‘conspiracy’ while claiming that the case registered against him was false, as he was not in the state when the violence erupted.
Meanwhile, the President of Azad Samaj Party-Kanshiram and MP, Chandrashekhar Azad, also spoke to ANI over the Sambhal incident and said, “It is not right to comment on what is the situation of people there, how many were injured or died, how many are innocent or guilty and what action the police is taking until permission is given to visit there. We can tell you about the situation there only after we visit. We are repeatedly demanding that we should be allowed to go there (Sambhal) to witness the situation and then talk about it.”
“The Internet is not working there; hence, we are not able to connect with people. The priority should be to restore peace there. FIR is very important for action. This could not have happened unless there was pre-planning. There should be an SC-monitored CBI inquiry into the incident. After this, we also want a discussion on the loot of votes (in UP bypolls),” said Azad.
Earlier in the day, Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Dimple Yadav attacked the BJP and said that the violence and ruckus in Sambhal that claimed the lives of four and left many injured right after the election results raises a ‘big question’ on the ‘neeyat and neeti’ (policy and intentions) of the government and the BJP.
Speaking to ANI here on Wednesday, Dimple Yadav said, “The administration did the work of booth-capturing and today when we are celebrating Constitution Day, we want our country to be run by the Constitution. The way the Sambhal incident happened immediately after the election results were announced, I think it raises a big question over the policy and intentions of the government and the BJP.”
Congress MP Imran Masood also responded to the incident in Sambhal and said that Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi is already aware of the situation in UP and will visit the district along with other party leaders post-violence.
“Priyanka Gandhi is already aware of the situation in UP. I have briefed her. We have planned to go there (Sambhal) and we will go. No one can equal the Gandhi family in understanding our pain,” said Imran Masood.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Wednesday also attacked the ruling administration in Uttar Pradesh over the recent ruckus and violence in Sambhal, claiming that the police in the state was ‘communalised’ and was acting like a ‘BJP wing.’
Speaking to ANI on the violence in UP’s Sambhal, Congress MP Manickam Tagore said, “The Congress party is clear that police have been communalised. The way UP police are acting, like a BJP wing, is unacceptable. 5 innocent people have been murdered by the police. The administration is not allowing any delegation to visit the spot.”
In a development to the Sambhal violence, Moradabad Divisional Commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh on Wednesday confirmed the involvement of three minors in the incident that broke out over the Mughal-era mosque survey on November 24.
Security personnel were deployed in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal for the third consecutive day on Wednesday after violence and ruckus ensued over an ASI survey.
The stones-pelting incident that escalated into violence over the survey team on November 24 claimed the lives of 4 and injured many, including officials and locals.
The internet shutdown will continue in the region while all other restrictions have been lifted as the situation has returned to normalcy, Sambhal SP Krishan Kumar said.
So far, 27 people, including 25 men and 2 women, have been arrested, and 7 FIRs have been registered in connection with the violence, the police said.
The security team near the mosque is deployed with two-way radios for communication, security batons, flashlights, firearms, vehicle barriers, and metal detectors to maintain security for local regulations.
The said survey was part of a legal process following a petition filed by senior advocate Vishnu Shanker Jain, who claimed the mosque was originally a temple.
A similar survey was previously conducted on November 19, with local police and members of the mosque’s management committee present to oversee the process.
