UP Congress Chief Ajay Rai Served Notice Over Visit To Violence-Hit Sambhal

Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai has been asked by police to defer his visit to Sambhal district, where violence recently occurred, due to concerns over potential chaos.

Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai has been served a notice by the police urging him to postpone his visit to the violence-hit Sambhal district. 

"They have issued me a notice and have asked me that my visit will cause chaos. Certainly, we also don't want chaos but peace to prevail. The atrocity and injustice that was done there by the police and the govt, I want my leadership to know this. They (police) gave me notice but I will go there peacefully...," Rai told ANI. 

The development comes two days after a delegation of 15 members of the Samajwadi Party was stopped by administration to visit Sambhal district in Uttar Pradesh which was marred by violence over a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid. 

A team of surveyors visited the mosque premises on November 24 when the protestors gathered outside the mosque, which claimed to be built on the site of a Harihar temple in a suit filed by advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain. The protestors clashed with the security personnel in which four people died. The police have denied firing at the protestors. 

On November 29, the Supreme Court halted the proceeding of Sambhal court which ordered the survey and asked the Committee of Management, Shahi Jama Masjid to move the Allahabad High Court against the court order. 

The apex court said it will keep the petition filed against the civil judge's order directing a survey pending with it. The court also ordered to keep the survey report of the court commissioner in sealed cover.