BJP orchestrated Sambhal violence to cover up poll rigging: Akhilesh Yadav

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday made serious allegations against the BJP regarding the violence in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district over the survey of a mosque. He alleged that the BJP, the state government, and the administration orchestrated the violence to divert attention from electoral malpractice.

Tension escalated in the district on Sunday as officials conducted a second survey of the Mughal-era mosque, which is claimed to have originally been the site of an ancient Hindu temple. Local people pelted stones at the officials, and police used tear gas and minimal force to control the protesters.
Ten people have been detained, and a probe has been launched into the violence, an official told PTI.

Tension had been brewing in Sambhal over the past few days after the Jama Masjid was surveyed last Tuesday following a local court's order. The survey came in response to a petition that claimed a Harihar temple stood at the site.

A day after the Uttar Pradesh bypoll results were declared, with the Samajwadi Party winning only two seats while the BJP and its ally RLD secured the remaining seven, Yadav made serious allegations against the police and administration.

"A serious incident occurred in Sambhal. A survey team was deliberately sent in the morning to disrupt discussions about the elections. The intention was to create chaos so that no debate on election issues could happen," the Samajwadi Party chief claimed.

Citing reports, he said several people were injured in the violence in Sambhal and questioned why a new survey was conducted when one had already been completed. "Why was this new survey conducted, and that too in the morning and without proper preparation?" he asked.

"I don't want to delve into the legal or procedural aspects, but the other side was not even heard. This was intentionally done to provoke emotions and avoid discussions on election rigging," Yadav added.

"What happened in Sambhal was orchestrated by the BJP, the government, and the administration to divert attention from electoral malpractices," the former UP chief minister alleged.
He added that whenever an impartial investigation takes place, and the truth comes out through booth recordings and CCTV footage, it will be clear that "voters did not cast their votes, and someone else became the voter inside the booth."

Yadav claimed that on polling day, the police and administration removed almost all of the Samajwadi Party's booth agents and many supporters who wanted to vote. "If voters were prevented from voting, then who cast the votes? If Samajwadi Party votes didn't reach those booths and our candidate didn't get support, then who voted there? This is a serious issue," he said.

"Additionally, there were two types of slips — one with a red mark and another regular slip. We raised this issue on voting day itself, stating that the administration had created such arrangements, leading to discrimination," Yadav alleged.