Congress clashes with police as entry ban disrupts visit to Sambhal

In Uttar Pradesh, tensions escalated when Congress workers, led by Ajay Rai, attempted to travel to Sambhal on December 2, 2024, to offer condolences and assess the situation following recent violence. The police had imposed restrictions to curb unrest stemming from a court-ordered survey concerning a disputed religious site, leading to clashes. This survey has been a focal point of conflict, originating from claims that a temple previously existed at the site of a Mughal-era mosque. On November 24, violent protests erupted during a second survey, prompting a significant police presence and subsequent restrictions on the movement of public representatives and outsiders in the region. Since November 19, the situation in Sambhal has been increasingly fraught, resulting in the government extending a ban on entry for public representatives from November 30 to December 10. Despite the extension, the Congress had planned its visit as the imposition was set to expire, only for authorities to impose further restrictions leading to chaos during the group's attempted departure from their office in Lucknow. As they confronted barricades set up by law enforcement, angry slogans filled the air, with representatives claiming that police actions were an attack on democracy. Emphasizing their intent, Congress officials argued that their delegation aimed to interact with the community, provide support to grieving families, and appeal for peace in a region marked by violence and unrest. Meanwhile, the police indicated that these measures were taken only to ensure 'peace and order', reflecting the ongoing conflict over religious sentiments associated with the mosque and the surrounding issues of historical claims. The rising tensions in Sambhal have highlighted broader social and political issues revolving around religious sites in India, raising questions about administrative approaches to communal conflict and the role of political parties in such sensitive situations. With the risk of further unrest looming large, actions of political entities like the Congress are being scrutinized amid calls for greater accountability and dialogue in addressing communal issues within the state.