Akhilesh upset with partymen who attended Sambhal SSP wedding
Lucknow: The high-profile wedding of Sambhal SSP K. K. Bishnoi in Jodhpur has spiralled beyond social media buzz into a political controversy, exposing fault lines within the Samajwadi Party (SP).
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav expressed displeasure over the presence of party leaders at the event, linking his objection to the Sambhal SSP’s allegedly ‘biased role’ during the violence in November 2024. The incident had left five people dead in a police-public clash that erupted over an Archaeological Survey of India survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal.
“They should not have gone there. We will speak to them about it. Such an event (wedding) should have been avoided,” Yadav said, signalling the party’s disapproval.
Following his remarks, resentment has reportedly grown within party ranks against those who attended the IPS officer’s wedding. According to party functionaries, SP MLA Iqbal Mahmood, along with leaders Pinky Yadav and Ram Khiladi Yadav, were among those present at the celebrations, accompanied by several local workers from Sambhal district.
A senior Samajwadi Party leader defended the party’s stance, linking it directly to the Sambhal violence and the role of the local police administration.
“When the Sambhal violence took place, our leadership raised questions about the role of the police. Bishnoi was heading the police unit there, and there were concerns about bias. It was not a Hindu-Muslim clash, but rather a confrontation between the police and local minorities,” the leader said.
Also read: Judicial panel’s report on Sambhal violence points to ‘pre-planned conspiracy’, demographic change
He added that the optics of SP leaders attending the wedding could send the wrong message. “The SSP is seen as being close to Yogi Adityanath. If our MLAs attend his wedding, it may not send a positive message to local Muslim communities. They should have avoided the event. The party had also issued verbal instructions earlier not to attend,” he said.
On the other hand, SP MLA Iqbal Mahmood, who attended the wedding, defended his decision while speaking to ThePrint.
“Yes, there were verbal instructions not to attend. But we are local MLAs, we deal with the public every day. We frequently visit the SSP’s office to raise people’s issues and interact with officials for work. In such a situation, how can we ignore their invitation?” Mahmood said.
He also expressed hope of convincing party chief Akhilesh Yadav. “I will tell Akhilesh ji, ‘Hamari majboori samajhiye, hamein wahin rehna hai, janta ka kaam karana hai’ (Please understand our compulsions, we have to live there and get people’s work done). We have a respect for the chair, whosoever the SSP. I hope I will be able to convince him,” he added.
The grand wedding
The grand wedding of UP cadre IPS officers K. K. Bishnoi and Anshika Verma in Jodhpur drew significant attention on social media, with a steady stream of videos from the event going viral. From traditional rituals to curated reels, staged moments, and the couple’s dance performance, the event quickly became an online spectacle.
Several IPS officers, political leaders, and social media influencers attended the high-profile wedding last week, increasing online visibility.
2018 batch IPS Bishnoi is considered to be in the good books of Yogi Adityanath, having earlier served in Gorakhpur before his posting in Sambhal.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: The big fat IPS wedding people just can’t stop talking about
