In the Lok Sabha, Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the violence in Sambhal that occurred during a court-mandated survey of a mosque was a well-planned conspiracy hatched by the BJP. 

The Kannauj MP asserted that the police and the administration were responsible for the violence, which left five dead, and demanded a murder case be filed against the officers. The Samajwadi Party Chief also pointed out that bypolls were supposed to be held on November 13, but it was postponed to November 20.

A massive violence broke out in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal last week during a protest against a court-ordered survey of the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid. Reports said that the order was passed following claims that the mosque was constructed on the ruins of a Hindu temple.

Furthermore, Akhilesh Yadav also pointed out the alacrity with which the order for the survey of the mosque was passed even before listening to the other side. He said that on November 19, a survey was conducted, and the report was to be given to the court. He continued that later on November 24, another survey was conducted, during which people gathered to know the reason for the survey. He added that the Circle Officer abused the people gathered there and resorted to lathicharge. Following, police opened fire, during which dozens were injured and five were killed, he alleged.

Reportedly, five people died on November 24 after a mob pelted stones at a team of officials that was conducting a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque in UP’s Sambhal. Notably, the survey was ordered by the court in response to a petition that claimed the mosque was built on the ruins of an ancient temple.

Earlier on Monday, the Uttar Pradesh Congress called off its planned march to violence-hit Sambhal following a standoff with police outside the party office in Lucknow. Uttar Pradesh Congress Chief Ajay Rai said that the march was postponed after authorities cited restrictions on entry of outsiders in Sambhal until December 10.

Hundreds of farmers, who gathered for Delhi Chalo march over several demands agreed to vacate the protest site on Monday evening, allowing traffic movements along the Noida-Greater Noida expressway.

Reportedly, after a meeting with the Noida authorities, Bhartiya Kisan Parishad leader Sukhbir Khalifa, who is spearheading the protests, decided to give the Centre a week’s time to fulfill the farmers’ various demands, including a legislation on Minimum Support Prices (MSPs). The protestors temporarily shifted their protest to Ambedkar Park but threatened to resume their march towards the national capital, if their demands were not met on time.

Earlier on Monday, massive traffic snarls caused inconvenience to commuters crossing the Delhi-Noida border, as police set up multiple barricades to avert the farmers from Uttar Pradesh from marching towards the Parliament complex. 

After the farmers’ gathered near the Mahamaya flyover in Noida on Monday afternoon, some of them broke a few barricades and attempted to continue with their march. The protest is being supported by the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and other farmer organisations.

Shivhari Meena, Joint CP Law and Order Noida, Shivhari Meena, told a news agency that the farmers had announced the Delhi Challo march today and they were continuously holding talks with them. She added that the farmers have told their demands to the officials and officials have given them an assurance. 

Additional Commissioner of Police, Eastern Range of Delhi Police,Sagar Singh Kalsi, had told a news agency that owing to farmers’ protest, they have made strong and robust arrangements at all major, minor borders in East Delhi.

Beside a legal guarantee on the MSP, the protesters are demanding farm loan waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in the electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and justice for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.

The BJP on Monday appointed Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani as central observers for its legislature meeting in Maharashtra to select its leader. This comes amid ongoing suspense over Maharashtra’s next Chief Minister.

More than a week after the BJP-led NDA, also called Mahayuti, secured a landslide win in the Maharashtra assembly elections, the new government is yet to be sworn in. BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis is expected to be elected as the legislature party leader in a meeting scheduled for December 3. Reportedly, all BJP MLAs have been directed to be present in Mumbai for the event.

In the Assembly Elections, the Mahayuti alliance secured 230 out of 288 assembly seats, with the BJP winning 132 seats, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena claiming 57, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP taking 41 seats. The oath-taking ceremony for the new government is set for the evening of December 5 at Azad Maidan in Mumbai, with Prime Minister Modi in attendance.

Notably, the BJP is proceeding cautiously as the aspirations of its allies, especially the Shiv Sena, have risen following the massive election victory. Despite Eknath Shinde’s push for unity within the Mahayuti, some allied leaders have expressed differing views.

Former Union minister and BJP leader Raosaheb Danve said that if the undivided Shiv Sena and BJP had contested the elections together, they would have secured more seats. Shiv Sena MLA Gulabrao Patil also claimed that the Eknath Shinde-led party would have won 90-100 seats had Ajit Pawar’s NCP not been part of the alliance, provoking a strong response from the Ajit Pawar-led party.

The BJP legislature party meeting to elect the leader, who will be the party’s chief ministerial pick, is yet to be held even though Shiv Sena and NCP have elected Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar as their legislature party leaders, respectively. Meanwhile, a senior Mahayuti leader said the allies will jointly decide whether only the Chief Minister and deputy CMs will take oath on December 5 or ministers will also be sworn in.