"Govt's intentions seem wrong as if they are trying to hide something": SP MP Iqra Hasan after police stop Rahul Gandhi's Sambhal visit

New Delhi [India], December 4 (ANI): After Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, was stopped from visiting violence-hit Sambhal district, Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Iqra Hasan criticised the government, alleging its actions suggest an attempt to conceal information.
Speaking to ANI, Hasan said, "We just want to know what happened there and who are the people behind it, but the government's intentions seem wrong, as if they are trying to hide something."
Earlier today, Rahul Gandhi, along with Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi and other Congress leaders, was stopped by police at the Ghazipur border while attempting to travel to Sambhal. The delegation subsequently returned to Delhi.
Meanwhile, Haryana Minister and BJP leader Anil Vij accused Rahul Gandhi of seeking publicity.
"Rahul Gandhi has gone only for a photo session. What does he want to go there for? To ignite fires in the country? He is the Leader of Opposition; he should talk responsibly," Vij said.
Rahul Gandhi, however, expressed his willingness to proceed to Sambhal alone under police supervision but claimed the authorities advised him to return after a few days, a move he described as unconstitutional and a violation of his rights.
"We are trying to go to Sambhal, but the police are not allowing us. As the Leader of Opposition, it is my right to visit, but they are stopping me. I am ready to go alone or under police escort, but they did not agree. They said we could return after a few days. This is against the rights of the LoP and the Constitution. We just want to visit Sambhal, meet the people, and understand what happened. My constitutional right is being denied. This is the new India--a country undermining the Constitution and eroding Ambedkar's legacy. We will continue to fight," Rahul Gandhi said.
The violence in Sambhal erupted on November 24 during an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) examination of a Mughal-era mosque. The clashes resulted in four fatalities and multiple injuries among police personnel and locals.
The ASI survey was conducted following a petition in a local court, which claimed that the mosque's site was originally a Harihar temple. (ANI)