New Delhi- Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and his sister MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met with the families of the Sambhal violence victims on Tuesday evening at 10 Janpath in Delhi. The meeting, held at their mother Sonia Gandhi's residence, allowed the Congress leaders to interact with the families and gather details about the incidents in Sambhal. Family members recounted the unfolding of the event, sources added.

The Uttar Pradesh government denied the Gandhis permission to visit victims' families in Sambhal district last week. On December 4, they were stopped at the Ghazipur border between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh while trying to reach the area.

Rahul Gandhi protested the denial, stating, "It is my right to go to Sambhal as the Leader of the Opposition, but the police were stopping me." He further emphasized his willingness to cooperate with authorities, adding, "I am ready to go alone, I am ready to go with the police, but they did not accept that either." Gandhi condemned the situation as a violation of his constitutional rights and the Constitution itself, stating, "This is the new India; this is the India to end the Constitution. This is the India to end Ambedkar's Constitution. We will keep fighting."

Sambhal has been under tension since November 19 following a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque, prompted by claims of a pre-existing Harihar temple at the site. Violence erupted on November 24 during the survey's second day, as protesters clashed with security forces near the Shahi Jama Masjid. The violence resulted in four deaths and numerous injuries.