Police stop Congress MP and SP MLA from visiting troubled Bareilly

Congress MP Imran Masood and Samajwadi Party MLA Shahnavaz Khan were stopped by police from travelling to violence-hit Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday.

The two leaders had planned to reach the city in an early-morning train to meet with senior police officials. However, they were placed under house confinement on Tuesday night. Since then, police personnel have been stationed outside their residences. No official explanation has been provided by the authorities for this action.

Speaking to the media from his home, Masood said, "We follow the Gandhian ideology. We were to leave at 6.50 am for Bareilly to meet the DIG and ADG and return by 1.30 pm. But the government is using such tactics to hide its failures."

Asked whether their visit could have aggravated the situation in Bareilly, Masood responded, "It is the government and the police who have made the situation abnormal. Muslims are being selectively targeted. One set of laws applies to us, another to others."

Violence broke out in Bareilly on 26 September, when a crowd of over 2,000 assembled outside a mosque in the Kotwali area after Friday prayers, leading to incidents of stone-pelting. The unrest stemmed from the cancellation of a planned protest regarding the 'I Love Muhammad' poster controversy, which had been called by local cleric Tauqeer Raza Khan.

Masood also pointed to recent events in Fatehpur and Muzaffarnagar, accusing authorities of failing to act on attacks targeting religious sites and incidents of looting, while cracking down heavily on peaceful demonstrators. "If such an atmosphere prevails in the country, then people must remain cautious," he added.

The big picture

The recent disturbances in Bareilly are part of a broader pattern of communal tensions in Uttar Pradesh, particularly in districts with significant Muslim populations.

The 'I Love Muhammad' poster row, which began as an expression of religious sentiment, was quickly politicised, drawing sharp reactions from both Hindu nationalist groups and minority leaders.

Authorities have claimed that protests linked to the poster issue could have incited violence, prompting the ban. However, Opposition leaders have accused the administration of selectively suppressing Muslim voices while ignoring provocative actions from other groups.

Bareilly has witnessed sporadic incidents of communal unrest over the years, and critics argue that heavy-handed policing often aggravates the situation rather than resolving it. The deployment of police forces and restrictions on political leaders' movements have drawn criticism from civil society organisations and human rights groups.

In the lead-up to the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, observers believe that such incidents could play a significant role in shaping political narratives, with parties accusing one another of either appeasement or incitement.

For now, Bareilly remains under heightened security, with additional forces deployed in sensitive areas. No fresh incidents have been reported since the weekend, but tensions remain palpable on the ground.