Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi have criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Uttar Pradesh government for its handling of the Sambhal violence, holding it accountable for the unrest.
Akhilesh Yadav accused the State government of orchestrating the violence, which erupted during a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque.
Rahul Gandhi described the administration’s actions as “insensitive” and “hasty,” blaming the BJP for escalating communal tensions.
The violence claimed four lives, with three victims identified as Naeem, Bilal, and Nauman, all in their mid-20s.
The Uttar Pradesh police have filed seven FIRs related to the incident, naming SP MP Zia-ur-Rehman Barq and Sohail Iqbal, son of local SP MLA Iqbal Mehmood, among the accused.
Addressing reporters after meeting Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Akhilesh Yadav questioned the rationale behind naming Zia-ur-Rehman in the FIR despite his absence from Sambhal during the incident.
He criticized the police for mishandling the situation, alleging that authorities acted without properly understanding court orders and abused people gathered outside the mosque. He further questioned the need for a second survey after the mosque committee had already cooperated fully during the first.
Rahul Gandhi, in a statement on X, held the BJP-led government directly responsible, accusing it of using power to deepen communal divides. Calling for urgent intervention by the Supreme Court, he condemned the government’s “biased” approach and extended condolences to the victims’ families.
Both leaders appealed for peace, emphasizing the need for unity over communal strife. “India must move forward on the path of constitutional values, not hatred,” Gandhi said in his post.
The incident has drawn criticism from several quarters, with demands for a judicial probe into the violence to ensure accountability and justice.