Jaipur, Oct 20 (IANS) Congress leaders in Jaipur continued their sit-in at the Police Commissionerate on Tuesday, demanding the registration of a Zero FIR in connection with the alleged assault and mistreatment of NSUI National Secretary Ritu Barala in Delhi.
The protest, which began on Monday evening, entered its 24th hour amid growing tensions between Congress workers and the police.
On Tuesday, Congress leaders and workers raised slogans outside the Commissionerate, leading to a scuffle with police personnel.
Police reportedly used mild force to disperse the protesters.
Meanwhile, Jaipur Police said that there was no need to register a separate FIR, citing an existing case at Delhi’s Connaught Place Police Station concerning the October 13 incident.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Ajay Singh said Barala’s complaint had been attached to the ongoing investigation.
Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) Chief Govind Singh Dotasra challenged the police to produce a copy of the FIR registered in Delhi, insisting that Congress leaders would end their protest if the police could provide the document.
Dotasra and other Congress leaders spent Monday night sleeping on the floor at the Commissionerate. They also had tea and breakfast at the protest site on Tuesday.
During the protest, an agitated Dotasra asked a fellow Congress leader, “Where can the Jaipur Police Commissioner be found?”
The Congress leader reportedly replied, “In the BJP camp.”
The protest follows a reported phone call from Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, who allegedly instructed Dotasara to ensure that an FIR was registered in Jaipur in connection with the matter.
Dotasara arrived at the Commissionerate at around 6:15 p.m. on Monday.
Angered by the failure to register an FIR at the Jaipur Commissionerate, PCC Chief Govind Singh Dotasra asked a fellow Congress leader where the Jaipur Police Commissioner could be found.
The Congress leader reportedly responded, “In the BJP camp.”
Congress leaders continued their sit-in, demanding the registration of an FIR in the Ritu Barala case.
“Let the police show us which FIR has been registered in Delhi. If they can produce it, we will leave immediately. The police have, in fact, registered an FIR against these youngsters in Delhi,” Dotasra said.
The PCC Chief added, “Registering a Zero FIR is our legal right. What is the difficulty in registering one? A Zero FIR was registered in Kerala; the police are making incorrect statements. No one has spoken to us. We will fight until the very end. We remain open to dialogue with the police.”
Rajasthan Leader of Opposition, Tikaram Jully, asked why an FIR had not been registered despite Barala submitting complaints in Delhi and Jaipur.
“Do these BJP members consider themselves above the law?” Jully asked, alleging that Barala’s complaint in Delhi had not been formally registered and that her subsequent complaint in Jaipur had also gone unregistered.
“Go ahead and be as dictatorial as you like. The public is watching everything and will give you an answer when the time comes,” he said.
Jully also accused the authorities of contradicting their stated commitment to women’s safety and dignity.
“Those who talk about women’s safety, women’s dignity and the ‘Beti Bachao’ campaign are themselves perpetrating an injustice against a daughter. We are standing firm here; the police must register an FIR,” he said.
Jaipur Police said Ritu Barala had submitted a complaint at Connaught Place Police Station in Delhi on October 13, the day of the incident, and that Delhi Police were investigating the matter.
Consequently, Jaipur Police considered it legally inappropriate to register a separate FIR in Jaipur based on the same set of facts.
Police also disputed Barala’s claim that she had been unable to file a report in Delhi because she was occupied with medical treatment.
–IANS
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