"Govt must use different mediums to show reality": SP leader Harendra Malik

New Delhi [India], November 30 : Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Harendra Malik on Saturday expressed his distrust with the UP government and administration report on the ongoing Sambhal violence. He said that the government must use different mediums to show the reality since district administration itself has been made a party in the matter.
"If we trusted (the government reports) why would we go? We know that the government's eyes and ears are the district administration. The government must use different mediums when the District administration itself is made a party in the matter. The way things have spiralled in Sambhal is very saddening. Sambhal (issue) didn't finish, the Ajmer Sharif (issue) already started. Where are we going? Where are we going to stop? This is a very big question," senior SP leader Harendra Malik told ANI.
The SP leader said that the delegation visiting Sambhal would take stock of the situation and present it before the country through media and Parliament.
"What is the ground reality? Why did the November 24 incident happen? Who is responsible? How did this happen? We will take stock of the situation and put it before the country through the press and Parliament if we get permission. We will place (our findings) before the government. We want to present the reality of the matter. We would like the government to investigate the matter on the basis of it. We will tell the government to investigate what we are saying. We will challenge them to send their own delegation. They should also go and see what is the reality," SP leader Malik remarked.
Malik further said that they are not going to do anything that endangers the peace. He said that their visit could be captured on video if required.
"We are not going to do any such thing (that endangers the peace). We are all elected representatives and are responsible. Secondly, if there is any problem they can 'videograph' our visit. Call the press. If we do something unconstitutional, we will be punished. We will definitely try our best (to visit Sambhal)," the senior SP leader said.
Meanwhile, SP leader Mata Prasad Pandey on Saturday morning informed that the district magistrate (DM) of Sambhal called him over the phone and asked him not to visit the district amid the ongoing tensions in the area. He said that a written notice should be given to him as per the rules, saying that he cannot go to Sambhal.
Earlier, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that imposing restrictions was a failure of the BJP government. He said that the government should have restricted those who dreamt about starting riots and raised "frenzied" slogans.
"Imposing restrictions is a failure of the BJP government's governance, administration and its management. If the government had earlier restricted those who dreamed of causing riots and made people raise frenzied slogans, then the atmosphere of harmony and peace in Sambhal would not have been spoiled," Akhilesh Yadav posted on X.
Tensions in Sambhal had been simmering since the local court ordered a survey of the mosque on November 19. Opposing the court-ordered survey of the Jama Masjid people clashed with police, resulting in the deaths of four persons. The survey followed a petition filed by some persons in the local court, claiming that the site of the mosque was previously a Harihar temple.