Bareilly (UP), Sep 24 Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai has claimed that no riot had taken place in Bareilly after meeting the family of Maulana Tauqeer Raza, who has been in jail for almost a year in connection with the violence that broke out in Bareilly city on September 26, 2025.
He also alleged that the administration had deliberately ordered a lathicharge to disperse the crowd on that day.
Rai, who reached Bareilly on Wednesday night, met the family members of Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC) chief Raza and assured them of all possible legal assistance.
Talking to reporters, Rai targeted the government and local administration over the Bareilly violence and claimed that there was no riot.
He alleged that the administration had deliberately ordered a lathicharge. Several people were sent to jail following the incident, while no action was taken against some officials, he alleged.
The violence broke out after Maulana Raza allegedly gave a call to protest in the wake of ‘I Love Muhammad’ controversy.
Rai said Bareilly was known for its ‘Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb’ (composite culture) and had a tradition of Hindu-Muslim brotherhood. The Congress stands with Raza’s family and will provide assistance in the legal proceedings, he said.
The Congress leader met Raza’s son, Farman Raza, and enquired about his father’s health and the status of his bail proceedings. He said the party stood with the family in the hour of crisis and would provide all possible legal assistance.
Raza’s bail application was recently rejected by the Allahabad High Court, observing that a slogan raised by the Maulana in his speech after the incident was nothing but a challenge to the authority of law and the sovereignty and integrity of India.
(PTI News)
