A day after violence erupted in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district, killing three and leaving scores injured—including 20 security personnel and four administration officials—political leaders across the spectrum launched a barrage of criticism against the BJP-led state government.
The incident unfolded on November 24 as protesters clashed with police over a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque. The tension quickly spiralled into chaos, exposing deep communal fault lines and sparking a political slug fest.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of leveraging its power to deepen religious divides. “The biased and hasty attitude of the state government on the recent dispute in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, is extremely unfortunate. I express my deepest condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the violence and firing,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Gandhi didn’t mince words, holding the BJP directly accountable for the violence.
“The administration, without listening to all the parties, insensitively took action that vitiated the atmosphere further and led to the deaths of people—for which the BJP government is directly responsible. BJP's use of power to create rift and discrimination between Hindu-Muslim communities is neither in the interest of the state nor the country,” he said. Calling for immediate judicial intervention, Gandhi urged the Supreme Court to step in.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra echoed similar sentiments, slamming the Yogi Adityanath-led government for 'spoiling the atmosphere' through its 'hasty' actions. “The way the administration acted in haste in such a sensitive matter without listening to the other side, without taking both the parties into confidence, shows that the government itself spoiled the atmosphere there,” the Congress general secretary posted on X.
Accusing the state government of spreading division and discrimination, Priyanka Gandhi urged the judiciary to take cognisance of the situation. “Trying to spread discrimination, oppression and division while sitting in power is neither in the interest of the people nor in the interest of the country. The honourable Supreme Court should take cognisance of the matter and do justice,” she added.
The violence has also prompted a strong reaction from other Opposition leaders.
"The first thing is that the mosque in Sambhal is not 50-100 years old, but 200-250 years old. The court passed an ex-parte order regarding the mosque without hearing its caretakers, which is wrong. The violence that occurred there, where three Muslims were shot and lost their lives, is something we strongly condemn. This is not firing, this is murder," said AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi.
Samajwadi Party leader Dharmendra Yadav called the incident 'unfortunate' and confirmed that his party would raise the issue in Parliament. “We have given notices for adjournment. We will definitely raise the issue (in the Houses),” the SP MP told reporters.
Sambhal MP Ziaur Rahman Barq took a hard stand, terming the incident 'pre-planned' and alleging that the Muslim community was being targeted.
Congress MP Imran Masood went a step further, accusing the state government of orchestrating the violence. “The Constitution is being destroyed in Sambhal. Government is instigating riots. Their agenda was not completed the first time when the survey team went there and came back without any riots breaking out. This is why the government sent the survey team again,” Masood alleged.
Responding to the allegations, BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj labeled the violence as 'pre-planned,' blaming those unsettled by the saffron party's ascendancy in the state. “It was instigated by those who have been taken aback by his party’s rise in the country, especially after its performance in the Uttar Pradesh assembly bypolls in which it won seven of the nine seats,” Sakshi Maharaj said.
The incident has reignited concerns over the use of communal polarisation as a political tool. As tension continues to simmer in Sambhal, all eyes are now on the Supreme Court, which has been urged to intervene.