Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], October 21 (ANI): Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasara on Wednesday said that the party will approach the court amid demands to register a Zero FIR against Delhi police personnel for allegedly assaulting National Students' Union of India (NSUI) national secretary Ritu Barala earlier this month.
"We will approach the court over the registration of an FIR and justice for Ritu Barala. The court will decide how the same law is being abided by in Keralam but not in Rajasthan. Approaching the court is our only option when an FIR is not being registered either here or in Delhi," Dotasara told reporters outside Jaipur police commissionarate.
The Congress ended its sit-in protest for the third consecutive day on Wednesday, with senior party leaders, including Rajasthan Leader of Opposition (LoP) Tika Ram Jully, participating in the demonstration. The protesters were demanding the registration of a Zero FIR in connection with the alleged assault on Ritu Barala.
Dotasara further informed that the written statement given by the police stating that a Zero FIR on the basis of section 173(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) cannot be registered was a "wrong interpretation of the law".
"Three days ago, we came here to file a report in the matter of Ritu Barala. The SHO told us that the Commissioner will register a report. We spoke to the Commissioner, who asked us to wait. If this is the law, why were we made to wait, and why did we have to give a dharna for three days here?" the Congress leader said.
He added that the Keralam police were able to register an FIR under the same law despite the fact that both student leaders, including Ritu Barala, had filed a complaint with Delhi police. He accused the police of being "under pressure" from Delhi.
"Today, they (police) have given in writing, stating that even if any complaint has been given, a Zero FIR on the basis of section 173(1) of BNNS cannot be registered anywhere in the country. But under the same law, a Zero FIR was registered in Keralam. These two student leaders had given the complaint in Delhi itself," Dotasara said.
"You can understand the pressure on them (police) from Delhi. What they have given to us in writing today is the wrong interpretation of the law," he added.
Earlier, Keralam police registered a Zero FIR on the complaint of a student leader who alleged assaulty by Delhi police during the anti-CEC protests.
High drama unfolded in Jaipur as senior Rajasthan Congress leaders staged a sit-in protest (dharna) at the Jaipur police Commissionerate office. A heavy police deployment remained in place around the commissionerate premises, with barricades erected to prevent unauthorised entry.
Amid the protest, Rajasthan Congress chief Dotasara injured his leg after slipping. Earlier, he also questioned the police over claims of the registration of an FIR in Delhi and demanded a copy of the case registered there. (ANI)
Rajasthan: Congress to approach court over Ritu Barala Zero FIR, ends sit-in protest
