Tue Jan 07 18:53:24 UTC 2025: **Samajwadi Party Accuses BJP of Orchestrating Sambhal Violence**

LUCKNOW, January 8, 2025 – Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of deliberately causing the violence in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, last November. A fact-finding report released by an 18-member SP delegation alleges that five Muslim youths were killed by police during clashes following a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid. The report further claims the UP government aims to spread hatred and discrimination.

Yadav, speaking at a press conference in Lucknow, stated that the BJP government’s actions, including the allegedly rushed survey of the mosque despite existing Places of Worship Act, show a disregard for human life and the rule of law. He criticized the administration for obstructing the SP delegation’s attempts to meet victims and alleged that police used excessive force, filed false cases, and tortured individuals to obtain confessions. He pledged an impartial investigation and punishment of those responsible if the SP forms the government.

The November 24th incident in Sambhal resulted in the deaths of five Muslim youths during clashes between locals and police. While police deny firing upon the crowd, witnesses claim otherwise. The town remained tense for over a month following the event. The SP report points to a deliberate pattern of injustice and oppression, with Yadav alleging that the BJP government is insensitive to the suffering of women, youth, farmers, and the poor.

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