Conspiracy For Riots Unfolded In UP's Sambhal: Yogi Adityanath On Judicial Panel Report

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said the judicial commission report on the November 2024 Sambhal violence confirmed a conspiracy for riots in the town, asserting that the state is now moving towards "satisfaction", not "appeasement", where there's no place for any demographic shift.

The three-member panel on Thursday met the chief minister and submitted its report on the violence that erupted near the Shahi Jama Masjid on November 24 during an ASI-monitored survey of the mosque, claiming four lives and injuring several others.

Sources claimed the document flags a sharp demographic shift in Sambhal, a plot to target Hindus, and the role of radical groups and outside rioters in the unrest.

Speaking at the inauguration and foundation-laying ceremony for various development projects here, Adityanath linked the violence to a history of targeted actions against Hindus under the previous state governments.

"The judicial commission submitted its report on the Sambhal incident on Thursday, revealing how a conspiracy for riots unfolded in 2024," Adityanath said.

"During the tenure of the Samajwadi Party and Congress, Hindus were selectively targeted, their demography was reduced, they were continuously subjected to oppression, and areas were made Hindu-free through riots.

"But there is a double-engine government in place today, which will not allow the demography to change. Whoever dares to change the demography will be forced to flee because every citizen is now getting the benefits of government schemes without any discrimination," he said.

"We are now moving towards 'santushtikaran' (satisfaction), and not 'tushtikaran' (appeasement)," the chief minister added.

The Sambhal dispute dates back to November 19 last year, when Hindu petitioners filed a suit in the district court claiming the Shahi Jama Masjid was built on a temple.

A court-ordered survey was conducted on the same day (November 19), followed by another on November 24. The second survey triggered significant unrest in the area, killing four persons and injuring 29 policemen.

According to government sources, the report claims that Hindus have been "consistently made the primary target in every riot since 1947" and they were again the focus of a plot during the flare-up in Sambhal.

The report also credits Uttar Pradesh Police with preventing a "massacre", and says the rioters were brought in from outside.

It also links the internal clashes to the longstanding Turk-Pathan tensions, and says the controversy over the Harihar temple, which was allegedly replaced by the mosque, was stoked by references to Babur's legacy, which worsened the atmosphere, the sources said.

The report highlights a major demographic shift in Sambhal, noting that the Hindu population fell from 45 per cent at the time of Independence to 15 per cent now, while Muslims presently make up 85 per cent of the population, the sources said.

It alleges that radical organisations and illegal arms and drug networks were activated to destabilise the region, while praising swift state action.

According to the sources, the panel traces Sambhal's history of communal strife to a 1953 Shia-Sunni clash, with major riots in 1956, 1959, 1962 (when Jan Sangh MLA Mahesh Gupta was stabbed), 1966, and 1976, when a mosque committee dispute and a maulvi's murder triggered temple attacks and curfew.

"The opposition is flustered seeing the development works in Uttar Pradesh The INDI alliance of Congress and Samajwadi Party is actually an anti-India alliance. It undermines India's honour and works to divide the country based on caste and religion," Adityanath said.

He also claimed that whenever the opposition parties came to power, they promoted mafias, encouraged hooliganism, and snatched the rights of the poor.

However, people have rejected them now, he added.

Referring to the alleged derogatory remarks targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his late mother made at a recent INDIA bloc rally in Bihar, Adityanath said, "Such statements reflect the opposition's frustration. People who stoop to this level do not deserve a place in politics.

"They must understand that Prime Minister Modi is the world's most popular leader, and using abusive language against him is like spitting at the sun -- "it only falls back. The opposition did not just target one individual, but insulted 140 crore Indians." The chief minister also claimed that instead of appeasement, the state government is now moving towards empowerment through satisfaction, which has helped lift six crore people above the poverty line in the last eight years.

"The double-engine government has eradicated mafia culture and placed the state on the path of development. The previous governments assigned a mafia to every district who looted, disrupted development schemes, and snatched the rights of the poor. But the double-engine government eliminated the mafias and implemented a policy of 'One district, one product', and 'One district, one medical college'," Adityanath said.

On development works in Pratapgarh, he said, "Today, 'amla' produced here is reaching the world, the government has established the Sone Lal Patel Medical College, while connectivity projects like the Ganga Expressway are accelerating development. Pratapgarh is now setting new benchmarks of development." During his visit to Pratapgarh, Adityanath inaugurated and laid foundations for 186 development projects worth Rs 570 crore, officials said.

On women's safety, Adityanath said, "Anyone who harms a daughter's honour will face 'Yamaraj' at the next crossroads," he said.

Referring to the recent police recruitment in 60,244 posts, he said more than 12,000 daughters have also been inducted into the force.

The recruitment of 2,425 female supervisors in the Women and Child Development Department is a step towards empowering women and children, Adityanath said, adding that programmes like 'Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao', 'Kanya Sumangala', and mass marriage schemes are making women 'Aatmanirbhar' (self-reliant).

Remembering hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand on his 120th birth anniversary that is celebrated as National Sports Day, Adityanath said, "Prime Minister Modi awarded Khel Ratna in his name, and a sports university is being established in Meerut. To nurture sporting talent, a sports college will be built in every commissionerate in the coming days. Stadium and smart city facilities will also be developed in Pratapgarh." During a public meeting, Adityanath distributed house keys to the beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana, financial assistance to self-help groups under the National Rural Livelihood Mission, solar pumps under the PM-Kusum Scheme, golden cards for Ayushman Bharat and Mukhyamantri Jan Arogya Yojana, and cheques under the Mukhyamantri Baal Seva Yojana (Covid-19), among others, officials said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)