The Uttar Pradesh Police on Saturday (October 4, 2025) stopped a Samajwadi Party (SP) delegation headed by Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Mata Prasad Pandey from visiting Bareilly, where violence broke out last week following protests over ‘I Love Muhammed’ banners.
The delegation members comprising four MPs and other senior party leaders were either stopped or put under house arrest.
SP president Akhilesh Yadav had constituted the team to visit Bareilly and gather information on the September 26 violence in the city.
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“The police said they would stop me and not allow me to go. They are keeping a vigil on me as if I were a history-sheeter. The government is trying to hide its shortcomings. I was given a notice by the police, and the inspector told me I have to stay home and not leave. If the Collector had written [to me], I would have accepted it. Then, a letter came from the Bareilly District Magistrate. He said that my arrival would spoil the atmosphere there, so ‘you should not come here [Bareilly]’ .To hide their [government’s] own shortcomings, they are not allowing us to go there,” said Mr. Pandey in Lucknow. Police personnel were present outside Mr. Pandey’s house.
