Samajwadi Party MP Ziaur Rahman Barq, and his party colleague Iqbal Mahmood’s son Nawab Suhail Iqbal are among the 400 people who have been charged in the violence over the survey of a mosque in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal. Nearly 25 people were arrested for the violence which killed 4 people.

During a court-ordered survey of the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid on Sunday, Sambhal witnessed deadly clashes between the locals and the police. The Shahi Jama Masjid is at the centre of a contentious legal battle over claims that it was built on the site of a Hindu temple.

Reports said that the protesters also set some vehicles on fire and threw stones at the police, who used tear gas and batons to disperse the mob. Considering the situation, the district administration has imposed prohibitory orders and barred the entry of outsiders till November 30.

Around 20 police personnel were also injured and a constable, who suffered an injury to the head, is said to be critical. Addressing a press conference, Superintendent of Police Krishan Kumar said that due to Ziaur Barq’s statement earlier, the situation became worse. He added they were identifying the protestors using drone footage and that the accused would be charged under the stringent National Security Act (NSA).

Reacting to the incident, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked the BJP today, saying the party was responsible for vitiating the situation.

The Congress leader said that the biased and hasty attitude of the state government on the recent dispute in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh is extremely unfortunate. He expressed deepest condolences to those who lost their loved ones in the violence and firing. He claimed that the administration’s insensitive action without listening to all parties further vitiated the situation and resulted in the death of many people, for which the BJP government is directly responsible.

Rahul Gandhi further said that the BJP’s use of power to create rift and discrimination between Hindu-Muslim communities is neither in the interest of the state nor the country. He also requested the Supreme Court to intervene in this matter as soon as possible and provide justice.

Earlier on Sunday, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP, along with the state government and administration of orchestrating the violence. 

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday accused the BJP government of orchestrating the violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district during a mosque survey, claiming it was a ploy to distract from electoral malpractice.

Yadav, the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, also alleged incidents of electronic booth capturing during the recently concluded bypolls for nine Assembly seats in the state, suggesting that a forensic examination of the electronic voting machines (EVMs) by the Election Commission could provide clarity on the situation.

Earlier in the day, the Uttar Pradesh Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd after it got violent and started stone pelting as tension escalated during a second survey of the Mughal-era mosque, claimed to be originally the site of an ancient Hindu temple. At least ten people were detained following the violent clash.

The local administration said that a second survey, led by an “Advocate Commissioner” as part of a court-mandated examination of the disputed area, commenced around 7 AM, attracting a gathering crowd.

Yadav made the statement a day after the results of the UP bypolls, where the Samajwadi Party secured only two seats, while the BJP and its ally, the RLD, won seven, including the Kundarki seat, which has a significant Muslim population.

“A serious incident took place in Sambhal, where a survey team was intentionally sent in the morning to disrupt election discussions. Their goal was to create chaos and prevent any debate on election-related issues,” Yadav claimed.

He said that several individuals were injured in the Sambhal violence, with one fatality, and questioned the need for a new survey conducted without proper preparation, especially when a previous survey had already been completed.

The Samajwadi Party chief said, “I won’t delve into legalities, but the other side wasn’t given a fair hearing. This was clearly designed to incite emotions and distract from conversations about electoral fraud.”

Yadav asserted that the events in Sambhal were a deliberate act by the BJP to divert attention from the alleged electoral irregularities. “In a true democracy, victory should come from the people, not the system. The kind of democracy the BJP is establishing ensures that the system prevails over the voters,” he stated.

He said that impartial investigations would reveal that many voters were unable to cast their ballots and that someone else had fraudulently voted in their place.

He charged that on election day, the police and administration removed nearly all of the Samajwadi Party’s booth agents and many supporters eager to vote. “If voters were shut out, who actually cast the votes? If our party’s votes didn’t reach those booths and our candidate received no support, then who voted there? This is a serious concern,” he said.

Yadav also pointed out discrepancies with polling slips, alleging the presence of both red-marked and regular slips, which he claimed led to discriminatory practices on voting day. Haji Rizwan, the Samajwadi Party candidate for Kundarki, echoed the same claims, stating that his supporters faced barriers to voting. BJP’s Ramveer Singh won the Kundarki bypoll by a notable margin of over 145,000 votes.

Yadav said that a victory gained through deceit is nothing but an illusion that ultimately burdens those who orchestrated it. “This entire act has been staged by the BJP. Such a victory only morally weakens those who achieve it and dulls their conscience,” he said.

He questioned how one can uphold democracy when the government and administration themselves engage in oppression. “This dishonesty is not a new phenomenon. Election rigging has become their standard operating procedure, and the evidence has been captured on camera. Even an MLA faced humiliation,” the former chief minister alleged.

In the customary all-party meeting convened by the government ahead of the winter session of Parliament on Sunday, the Congress demanded that the BJP-led central government discuss allegations against the Adani Group and the Manipur violence.

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said that his party demanded discussions on issues such as the Adani Group bribery allegations, the Manipur crisis, pollution, and train accidents in the parliamentary session, which is starting on Monday.

Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju announced during a press conference that an all-party meeting was held to discuss the upcoming winter session of Parliament. A total of 42 political representatives were present, consisting of 30 party leaders and party floor leaders, each contributing their suggestions, he added.

Rijiju stated that these suggestions would be reviewed with the business advisory committee and the Speakers of both Houses to determine which issues would be addressed in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. He emphasised the desire for constructive and peaceful discussions in both Houses.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi highlighted several key issues raised by the Congress and the INDIA alliance during the meeting. He pointed out that a significant concern was the financial sector scam recently highlighted by the US government, urging the BJP-led NDA government to provide clear answers regarding the matter.

Regarding the issues discussed, AAP leader Sanjay Singh noted that corruption related to the Adani group was damaging India’s global reputation and warranted further discussions.

He also mentioned the ongoing violence in Manipur, which has persisted for a year and a half without government intervention. Additionally, Singh said he raised concerns about irregularities during the Uttar Pradesh bypolls, where voters faced intimidation, questioning the integrity of the electoral process.

Singh expressed skepticism about the government’s claim to implement the Waqf Bill without awaiting the Joint Parliamentary Committee’s report.

SAD leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal said she brought to attention several issues concerning farmers, stating that they are being exploited by a central government, receiving less than the minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

She noted that a significant percentage of DAP fertiliser supplied by the Centre is reportedly fake, and highlighted concerns regarding land transfers to Haryana in Chandigarh, which violate the Punjab Reorganization Act.

In the meeting, Badal also criticised the forced acquisition of farmland for the Bharatmala Expressway and suggested that there may be a collaborative effort between the Centre and the Opposition to stall House proceedings, emphasising that the responsibility to manage the House lies with the government.

The Congress party, which is the largest Opposition party in the House, is expected to prioritise discussions on the situation in the Northeast, the ongoing border tensions at the Line of Actual Control, and allegations surrounding businessman Gautam Adani.

The government has prepared 16 bills for consideration, including the Waqf Amendment Bill, which is under review by the Joint Parliamentary Committee.

Moreover, there may be discussions regarding the contentious ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has supported as a means to optimise resources and enhance democracy, although it has faced opposition from Congress.

The winter session of Parliament is scheduled to continue until December 20, with no sessions planned for November 26 in observance of Constitution Day.