CCTV footage missing, BJP trying to protect Barala's son: Congress on 'stalking' case

The Congress party on Monday cornered Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Chandigarh stalking incident and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of pressurizing Chandigarh administration to protect the son of Haryana BJP Chief Subhash Barala.

Speaking to ANI, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said that the BJP is hatching a conspiracy to shield the Haryana state chief's son, who harassed and stalked an IAS officer's daughter in an alleged inebriated state in Chandigarh.

"This is extremely clear that BJP is pressurizing Chandigarh administration and hatching conspiracy to protect the son of its political leader. May we ask on behalf of people of India if drunken youth, goons chase a girl for seven kilometers, attempt to block her car and forcibly open the door and try to enter the car, is it not the case of abduction and outraging the modest of a woman? Why have these offences not been lodged? The Prime Minister and chief minister must answer these questions to the people of country," Surjewala told ANI.

As the CCTV footage of five cameras has reportedly gone missing, Surjewala said, "Now new things have come out that five out of seven CCTV cameras were non functional. How have they suddenly become non functional? We have lost the importance piece of evidence."

Congress leader Tom Vadakkan also highlighted that the stalking incident has raised questions over the existence of campaign 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao'.

"The state of Haryana and its campaign Beti Bachao Beti Padhao has fallen flat. A young girl was stalked in the capital city of Chandigarh. It is sad. If this is what Beti Bachao Beti Padhao is, then false campaign must be immediately withdrawn," he told ANI.

He further said that Chandigarh police is diluting the matter under the pressure of the BJP.

Vikas Barala was arrested on Saturday on the charges of stalking and harassing the IAS officer's daughter in Chandigarh. He was, however, granted bail on the same day.

A case was registered by the Chandigarh Police against Vikas and other youth under under Section 354 D (stalking) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 185 (Motor Vehicle Act) of the CRPC on the basis of complaint filed by the woman.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar assured Vikas will be punished once found guilty.

"I have complete faith on the Chandigarh Police. Justice will prevail. The accused will be punished once found guilty. This is my official stand on this matter. This case has nothing to do with Subhash Barala. Such act is highly condemnable if proved correct," the Chief Minister told the media here.

Narrating the horrific ordeal, the girl, who is the daughter of an IAS officer, told the media she was lucky for not being the daughter of a common man.

"I'm lucky, it seems, to not be the daughter of a common man, because what chance would they have against such VIPs? I'm also lucky, because I'm not lying raped and murdered in a ditch somewhere," the woman wrote in a Facebook her post, pointing that the two men she accused of perturbing her "are from influential families with political connections," she said.

-ANI