Denied Sambhal visit, Rahul meets victims' kin in Delhi

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday met families of the victims of violence in Sambhal at his 10 Janpath residence and offered them all possible help to ensure justice.

AICC general secretary and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was also present during the meeting.

The Congress later said in a post on X, "Today, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress general secretary and MP Priyanka Gandhi met the victims of Sambhal. The incident in Sambhal is the ill-effects of BJP's hate politics and it is fatal for a peaceful society."

It also said, "Together, we have to defeat this violent and hateful mentality with love and brotherhood."

The Congress asserted that it stood with all the victims and would fight to get them justice.

The Uttar Pradesh government had earlier denied permission to both Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi to travel to Sambhal and visit the victims' families.

The Gandhi siblings were on their way to Sambhal on December 4 but were stopped by the Uttar Pradesh Police at the Ghazipur border.

Rahul Gandhi had termed the action "anti-constitutional".

After being stopped at the Ghazipur border, Rahul Gandhi said he was ready to go to Sambhal alone with the police but was not allowed.

Violence erupted during a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque in Sambhal on November 24 as protesters clashed with security personnel. Four people were killed in the violence and many more were injured.