Jaipur (PTI): Congress protest at the Jaipur Police Commissionerate intensified on Tuesday as a large number of party workers gathered outside the premises, disrupting traffic in the area, raising slogans and demanding registration of a zero FIR over the alleged assault on NSUI leader Ritu Barala by Delhi Police personnel.
Jaipur Police, however, rejected the demand for a Zero FIR, saying Barala has already lodged a complaint over the same incident at Connaught Place police station in Delhi, where the matter was under investigation.
"Registering another FIR on the same facts in Rajasthan would not be legally permissible," Jaipur police said.
Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra and other party leaders continued their dharna inside the commissionerate after spending Monday night there and sleeping in its corridor.
Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully, several women MLAs and other Congress leaders joined the protest on Tuesday as more party workers gathered outside the commissionerate.
Police kept the main gate closed, erected barricades to prevent party workers from entering the premises and deployed additional personnel.
Congress workers shouted slogans against the BJP government and demanded registration of an FIR.
Jaipur Police said that Barala approached the Moti Dungri police station on Monday with a complaint alleging that Delhi Police women constables Chanchal Yadav, Sonika and Jyoti had assaulted her during a protest in Delhi on October 13.
Police said Barala expressed her inability to travel to Delhi to lodge a report.
However, after contacting Delhi Police, Jaipur Police learnt that Barala had already submitted a complaint at Connaught Place police station on October 13 over the scuffle, the Jaipur police said.
According to Jaipur Police, the complaint was being examined by the Delhi Police.
Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot criticised the BJP government over the refusal to register a zero FIR and accused it of denying justice to a woman because of her association with the Congress.
"Has the BJP government in Rajasthan become completely incompetent?" Gehlot asked in a social media post.
He said Jaipur Police only had to register a zero FIR and transfer it to Delhi Police, which would conduct the investigation and take further action.
"Will a daughter now be denied justice in BJP-ruled states simply because she is associated with the Congress or its student organisation, NSUI? Will there now be two sets of laws in this country, one for the ruling party and another for the opposition?" he asked.
Referring to Section 173(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), Gehlot said the law provided for registration of a zero FIR irrespective of where an offence had taken place.
He urged Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma to stop using the police for political purposes and ensure immediate registration of the FIR.
Jully questioned why Jaipur Police was refusing to register a case when there was a legal provision for a zero FIR.
However, Rajasthan BJP president Madan Rathore accused the Congress of creating unnecessary drama and spreading disorder.
"The Congress leaders are staging a drama over registration of an FIR. They should get it registered where the incident took place. There are several other options available, but they want to create a scene. They are spreading anarchy here," Rathore said.
Congress MLA Rafeek Khan said Jully was not initially allowed to enter the commissionerate and could get inside only after considerable effort.
Another Congress leader alleged that the BJP government wanted a confrontation and was therefore preventing registration of the FIR.
Congress leader Pushpendra Bhardwaj questioned why an FIR was not being registered over the alleged assault on a woman when the Narendra Modi government talked about women's empowerment through the Nari Vandan initiative.
Congress chief Dotasra said the Jaipur Police was free to register a case against Congress leaders for obstructing official work, but they would not leave without getting the FIR registered.
On Monday, Dotasra, accompanied by Barala and other party leaders, first visited the Moti Dungri police station seeking registration of a case against the Delhi Police constable.
After the police received their complaint without registering an FIR, the leaders went to the Police Commissionerate, where Dotasra spoke to a senior official regarding their demand.
The protest came after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asked Dotasra to pursue legal action over the alleged assault on Barala, who hails from Rajasthan.
In a social media post on October 16, Gandhi alleged that the Delhi Police had assaulted two young women, Athira from Kerala and Ritu from Rajasthan, during a protest in the national capital.
He said a Zero FIR had already been registered in Kerala and that the Congress would pursue legal action against the police personnel concerned.
Barala, an NSUI leader, alleged that Delhi Police woman constable Chanchal Yadav assaulted her inside a bus carrying detained protesters during a demonstration in Delhi on October 13.
She alleged that the constable grabbed her by the neck, pushed her onto a seat, scratched her face and slapped her.
The NSUI had staged the protest near Rajiv Chowk Metro station demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral irregularities.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.