A Samajwadi Party delegation led by Leader of Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Mata Prasad Pandey, was stopped by police as it prepared to leave for Bareilly. The 14-member team of SP MPs and MLAs had been directed by party chief Akhilesh Yadav to visit the city, which witnessed violence following Friday namaz last week.

Pandey said, “A letter was initially issued asking me to stay in the house, but was later corrected. As soon as the government received information about our visit, a large police force was deployed at our private residence in Lucknow to stop us from going to Bareilly. This is completely unfortunate and undemocratic. It violates the rights granted by the Constitution.”

SP MP Ziaur Rahman has also been placed under house arrest in Sambhal, reported PTI. Visuals s

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