Police detain Congress MP, SP MLA at house to prevent from visiting Bareilly

Saharanpur: Congress MP Imran Masood and Samajwadi Party MLA Shahnavaz Khan were prevented by the police from visiting strife-hit Bareilly on Wednesday.

The two leaders were scheduled to travel to the city by an early morning train to meet some police officers, but were confined to their residences on Tuesday night.

A police team has been standing guard outside their homes since then.

Police, though, have made no statement yet explaining the action.

Addressing reporters at his residence, 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 if their visit could have worsened the situation in Bareilly, Masood replied, "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."

Violent clashes were witnessed in Bareilly on September 26, when a crowd of over 2,000 people gathered outside a mosque in Kotwali area after Friday prayers, followed by stone-pelting.

The unrest was triggered by the cancellation of a proposed protest over the 'I Love Muhammad' poster row called by Khan.

Meanwhile, Masood also referred to incidents in Fatehpur and Muzaffarnagar, alleging that attacks on religious sites and lootings had gone unchecked, while peaceful protesters were being treated with a heavy hand.

"If such an atmosphere prevails in the country, then people must remain cautious," he said.