Reports reveal instances of police lathicharging voters at polling stations, sparking allegations of polling mismanagement.Many eligible voters who went to cast their votes at various polling stations in Uttar Pradesh‘s Sambhal today alleged that they were turned away by police officials. Several videos of police allegedly using force on voters at polling stations have surfaced from Muslim-dominated Sambhal where polling is currently underway in the third phase of Lok Sabha polls.
One video captures a scuffle between SP candidate Zia-ur-Rehman Barq and police officers at a polling station. Reports reveal instances of police lathicharging voters at polling stations, sparking allegations of polling mismanagement. Responded to the viral videos, the Sambhal Police denied any instances of violence and said that they intervened to maintain order and facilitate smooth voting process.
A viral video shows multiple women voters claiming they were denied access to the polling booth after being told that they were carrying fake Aadhaar cards. In another video from Sambhal, voters can be heard accusing the police of destroying ID proofs of Muslim voters. The Sambhal constituency continues to lead the state in terms of voter turnout percentage.
In Sambhal, the electoral contest is predominantly between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its main opponent Samajwadi Party (SP). The BJP, which secured victory in the constituency only once in 2014, has Parmeshwar Lal Saini as its candidate. Whereas, the SP has put forward Zia Ur Rahman Barq, and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) picked former MLA Saulat Ali. Barq, the sitting MLA from Kundarki assembly, is the grandson of SP veteran Shafiqur Rahman Barq, who won the seat twice in 2009 on a BSP ticket and in 2019 on an SP ticket.
SP chief and former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the Uttar Pradesh Police are arbitrarily detaining SP leaders and workers to manipulate voting. While aaddressing the media, Yadav pointed out the police’s action against party workers.
Samajwadi Party’s X handle posted, “Voters are being beaten and threatened by the police in all the assembly constituencies including Kundarki, Bilari, Chandausi, Sambhal and Asmoli under Sambhal Lok Sabha. Voting is being influenced by unnecessarily checking voter slips and harassing voters. Election Commission should take cognizance, fair voting should be ensured.”
Congress UP unit also wrote on X, “In the Sambhal Lok Sabha, the administration is openly influencing the elections under the protection of power. Voters are being misbehaved and beaten by the police force in village Owari of Asmoli assembly. They are being prevented from voting. When India Alliance candidate Ziaur Rahman Burke and leaders and workers of the coalition parties protested against this, the administration used force against them. BJP wants to win elections by destroying democracy and the Constitution. @ECISVEEP Is this happening with your consent? If not, then immediately take cognizance of the incident and take appropriate action.”
Locals in Sambhal claim that issues like stray bull and cow menace and guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) remain unfulfilled. However, a section of voters also say they will pick the BJP as law and order has improved and they are getting free ration.
The constituency has 18.92 lakh voters. They include around 9 lakh Muslim voters, 3 lakh Dalit, 1.5 lakh Saini, 1 lakh each Jat and Thakur, 80,000 each Yadav and Vaishya, 70,000 Brahmins and other voters like Gujar, Kashyap, Lodh and Kurmi. Castes like Kashyap, Kurmi, Lodh and Saini are considered BJP’s traditional voters.