Jaipur: The overnight protest by Congress leaders at the Jaipur Police Commissionerate continued on Tuesday as well over the party’s demand for a zero FIR against Delhi police personnel accused of assaulting and harassing NSUI national secretary Ritu Barala. Congress leaders staged a sit-in since Monday evening after Jaipur police refused to register a separate FIR in the case.
Dotasra Spends Night At Commissionerate
Several Congress leaders, including c Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra, spent the night at the police commissionerate. The protest intensified on Tuesday morning when a large number of party workers gathered outside the premises, raised slogans, and clashed with police personnel. Police subsequently used mild force to disperse the protesters, but the sit-in continued.
Responding to the Congress party's demand, Jaipur police said Barala had submitted her complaint to the Connaught Place police station on the day of the incident itself. It rejected her claim that she had been unable to lodge a complaint in Delhi because she was occupied with medical treatment.
Investigation Underway In Delhi
The police maintained that further legal action would depend on the findings of the ongoing investigation in Delhi.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Ajay Singh said, "The incident of October 13 had already been reported to the Connaught Place police station in Delhi, where a case had been registered in connection with the confrontation during the protest.”
Barala's Complaint Included In Investigation
According to Singh, Barala had also submitted a written complaint, which was attached to the same case file and included in the ongoing investigation.
“Zero FIR is generally registered when a complainant is unable to approach the police station having jurisdiction over the incident. The complaint can then be forwarded to the appropriate police station. In this case, Ritu Barala had already submitted her complaint in writing to the concerned police station in Delhi, and the police are investigating it. Therefore, there is no need to register a separate zero FIR in Jaipur,” Singh said.
Police Attempt To End Sit-In
He added that Congress leaders had been informed of the legal position and that the police were attempting to persuade them to end their protest.
Dotasra challenged the Jaipur police's claim and said, “Let the police show us which FIR has been registered in Delhi. If they produce it, we will leave this place,” Dotasra said, alleging that the Delhi police had registered a case against the protesting students but had failed to take appropriate action on Barala's complaint.
Congress Insists On Zero FIR
He maintained that registering a zero FIR was their legal right and questioned why the Jaipur police were refusing to do so. He also claimed that a zero FIR had been registered in Kerala in connection with the matter.
“Nobody has spoken to us. We are ready for talks with the police, but we will continue this fight until the end,” Dotasra said.
Ritu Barala has accused Delhi police personnel of assaulting and mentally harassing her during and after the protest.
Barala Alleges Assault At Connaught Place
She alleged that the assault was not limited to a bus in which the protesters were being taken. According to her, she and other protesters were also assaulted after getting off the bus at Connaught Place.
“Seven to eight women police personnel assaulted us at the Connaught Place police station and beat us with batons,” she alleged.
Barala said the police could detain protesters or take legal action for disturbing public order but alleged that such action did not justify physical violence.
'Our Fundamental Rights Cannot Be Violated'
“Our fundamental rights cannot be violated in this manner. The physical and mental harassment inflicted on me by the Delhi police must be investigated. We want a zero FIR to be registered so that we can get justice and action can be taken against those responsible,” she said.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan BJP president Madan Rathore criticized Rahul Gandhi and Congress leaders for demanding that Jaipur police register an FIR over an incident that allegedly took place in Delhi.
Rathore Questions Congress's Legal Understanding
“I am surprised at the thinking of Rahul Gandhi and Congress leaders. An FIR is registered at the place where an incident occurs. If the authorities there refuse to register it for any reason, several other legal options are available. It appears that Congress leaders do not understand the law,” Rathore said.
Accusing the Congress of attempting to create unrest in Rajasthan, he alleged that state party leaders were acting on instructions from the central leadership without exercising their judgment.
Rathore described the protest as political theatre aimed at gaining publicity and accused Congress leaders of disrupting the festive atmosphere in the state.
The dispute centers on an incident on October 13 in Delhi, during which Barala allegedly faced physical assault and harassment by police personnel while participating in a protest. Congress leaders are demanding that Jaipur police register a zero FIR against the Delhi police personnel named in her complaint. The demand has been made on the directions of
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, who reportedly asked Dotasra to ensure an FIR in Jaipur against the Delhi police personnel.
