Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stopped at Ghazipur border on way to Sambhal, says 'against rights'

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha (lower House of the Indian parliament), Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday (Dec 4) that he was willing to visit the violence-hit Sambhal without his convoy, accompanied only by the police. 

However, he said that the authorities had requested him to postpone his visit and asked him to return after a few days. Rahul stated that this was against the rights of the LoP and the Constitution.

Gandhi's statement comes as he and his sister, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi, were stopped at the Ghazipur border and barred from proceeding towards Sambhal. Subsequently, the Congress leaders returned to Delhi.

"We are trying to go to Sambhal, the police is refusing, they are not allowing us. As LoP, it is my right to go, but they are stopping me. I am ready to go alone, I am ready to go with the police, but they did not accept that too. They are saying that if we come back in a few days then they will let us go. This is against the rights of the LoP and against the Constitution. We just want to go to Sambhal and see what happened there, we want to meet the people. My constitutional right is not being given to me. This is the new India, this is the India to end the Constitution. This is the India to end Ambedkar's Constitution. We will keep fighting," Rahul said.

Congress MP KC Venugopal said that they were informed that the party could again visit the violence-hit region after four to five days.

"Police informed us that they will allow us after four to five days. They have purposefully blocked the traffic. We do not want to create problems for the common people," Venugopal said.

Also read: PM Modi cites popular Bollywood movie dialogue as he hails adoption of 3 new criminal laws

"Our delegation headed to Sambhal led by LOP Rahul Gandhi ji and Priyanka Gandhi ji has been stopped at the UP border in Ghaziabad. What is the reason behind the UP Government stopping the Lok Sabha LOP from visiting the families of those who lost their lives in the violence? It is basic humanity to stand by someone who has suffered such grief and loss. Rahul ji's motto has been 'Nafrat ke bazaar mein mohabbat ki dukaan'. And when the ruling regime has created an atmosphere of hatred, it is our duty as the opposition to bring compassion, empathy and love," he wrote in a post on X.

"We are determined to meet the victims' families in the interest of peace and communal harmony in our country, the UP government must allow the delegation to visit Sambhal," he added.

'Cannot be stopped like this,' says Priyanka

The Wayanad MP said that Rahul Gandhi being the Leader of the Opposition has full right to meet the victims of violence-hit Sambhal and cannot be stopped by the police.

"Whatever happened in Sambhal is wrong. Rahul Gandhi is the leader of the opposition, he has constitutional rights and he cannot be stopped like this. He has the constitutional right to be allowed to go and meet the victims. He also said that he would go alone with the UP police but they are not ready to do that either. The police have no answer. Maybe the situation in Uttar Pradesh is such that they cannot handle even this much. Why do they say so arrogantly that they have taken care of the law and order?" Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said.

(With inputs from agencies)