NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh deputy CM Brajesh Pathak on Saturday called the Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders’ attempt to visit violence-hit Sambhal a “political tourism” as the party delegation led by Muzaffarnagar MP Harendra Malik was stopped from entering the district.
The SP leaders were stopped, even as the administration on Saturday extended the ban on the entry of outsiders into Sambhal to December 10 to maintain “peace and order”.
“They are going there for political tourism, we will maintain law and order there in every situation,” Brajesh Pathak said.
SP’s Muzaffarnagar MP Harendra Malik, accompanied by its Kairana and Sambhal MPs, was stopped from entering Sambhal from Ghaziabad.
“They would not want the situation in Sambhal to deteriorate further. They should cooperate with us and visit Sambhal after some time. The investigation into the incident is underway, and we are collecting all the evidence. So far, we have arrested 30 people,” Pathak told news agency PTI.
Malik, who led the party delegation, said he “wanted to go to Sambhal to apply a healing touch to those affected by the violence”.
“I don’t understand why we are being stopped. Are the opposition leader and the MPs so irresponsible that they can’t be allowed to move within the state?” Malik asked.
The Samajwadi Party had announced a 15-member delegation would visit the district to gather information about the violence that broke out over a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid.
The delegation of 15 Samajwadi Party leaders was to inform Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav about the violence incident.
As the security situation in Sambhal remained critical, Moradabad divisional commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh stated on Saturday that no one is permitted to visit the area until the situation stabilises.
“The standing order of the divisional commissioner is being implemented in Sambhal. No delegation has permission to visit Sambhal. Once the situation normalises, anyone can go there,” Singh told news agency ANI.
He also urged the Samajwadi Party to cooperate and postpone their visit.
“They would not want the situation in Sambhal to deteriorate further. They should cooperate with us and visit Sambhal after some time. The investigation into the incident is underway, and we are collecting all the evidence. So far, we have arrested 30 people,” he added.