Tensions Mount as Congress Workers Clash with Police over Sambhal Visit

Congress workers clashed with police outside their Lucknow office, seeking to visit violence-stricken Sambhal, led by their state chief Ajay Rai. The tension arose from a banned fact-finding mission following the tumult accompanying a mosque survey in Sambhal. Workers criticized the blockades as anti-democratic.

Scores of Congress workers clashed with police in Lucknow on Monday over their thwarted attempt to reach the violence-stricken district of Sambhal. Led by Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai, the party intended to conduct a fact-finding mission, but were met with heavy barricades and opposition from authorities.

This escalation follows the violence in Sambhal after a controversial mosque survey, ordered by the court, led to clashes resulting in fatalities. The district has been tense since November 19, with additional confrontations occurring during a survey on November 24, sparking further unrest.

As tensions rose, Congress accused the authorities of suppressing democratic processes, citing extended restrictions that accompanied their barred entry. The Congress criticized the continued state-mandated entry ban, viewing it as a tactic to obscure governmental shortcomings.

(With inputs from agencies.)