Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, along with his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other senior Congress leaders, was stopped at the Ghazipur border in Ghaziabad on Wednesday, December 4, 2024. The group was on its way to Sambhal, where prohibitory orders have been in effect, and a heavy police presence had been deployed to prevent their entry into the district.
The decision to stop Rahul Gandhi comes as the prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which empower authorities to issue urgent orders in cases of nuisance or potential danger, have been extended in Sambhal until December 31. The curbs, initially set to expire on Sunday, are now expected to remain in force throughout the remainder of the year.
Heavy police forces, along with barricades, were set up at Ghazipur to restrict the Gandhis and the Congress leaders from proceeding further. The Congress party has criticized the move, alleging that the violence in Sambhal was a well-planned conspiracy by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). According to Congress leaders, the intention was to provoke communal tensions in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the upcoming 2027 assembly elections.
“This is an attempt by the ruling BJP to create an environment of fear and division in Uttar Pradesh. They do not want the truth about the violence in Sambhal to come out,” said a senior Congress leader, standing alongside Rahul Gandhi at the barricades. The Congress party claims that more such incidents could be instigated in the state in the lead-up to the elections.
Uttar Pradesh police took extensive measures to enforce the prohibitory orders, placing barricades at numerous locations along the Delhi-Sambhal route and initiating vehicle inspections at multiple checkpoints. This heightened security led to massive traffic congestion, especially along the Delhi-Meerut Expressway and at the Ghazipur border, where commuters faced significant delays.
In a letter dated December 3, the District Magistrate (DM) of Sambhal, Rajendra Pensiya, requested authorities in neighboring districts to intercept the Congress leaders before they reached Sambhal. The letter was sent to police officials in Gautam Buddh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, and Amroha, instructing them to prevent the Gandhis from entering Sambhal without prior permission from the competent authority.
“It is to inform that Honorable Leader of Opposition and MP Rahul Gandhi is planning to visit Sambhal to meet families of those killed on November 24. Sambhal district administration has issued prohibitory orders restricting outsiders from visiting the district till December 10. No outsider can enter the borders of the district without seeking permission of the competent authority till December 10. I request you to please monitor the movement of Mr. Gandhi and make arrangements to prevent him from reaching Sambhal in your jurisdiction,” the letter read.
Tensions in Sambhal have been escalating since November 19, when a Mughal-era mosque was surveyed under court orders following claims that a Harihar temple previously stood on the site. The controversy surrounding the survey sparked local unrest, culminating in violent clashes on November 24 during a second survey near the Shahi Jama Masjid.
The violence left four people dead and several others injured as protesters clashed with security personnel near the mosque. The situation remains volatile, with the district administration issuing strict orders to maintain law and order, including extending the prohibitory orders that bar outsiders from entering the area.
Rahul Gandhi was on his way to meet the families of the victims of the November 24 violence. Congress leaders have condemned the extension of prohibitory orders and have vowed to keep pushing for the truth to come out. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who accompanied her brother, said, “We will not be deterred by such tactics. We are here for the people of Uttar Pradesh, and we will continue to stand by them.”
The barricading of the Gandhis and the escalation of prohibitory measures have further intensified the political tensions in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress party has vowed to continue its efforts to provide justice to the victims of the Sambhal violence while calling out what they believe is an orchestrated effort by the BJP to suppress dissent in the state. With the prohibitory orders now extended until the end of the month, it remains to be seen how the situation in Sambhal will unfold in the coming weeks.