Named in FIR, Rajasthan Congress MLA quits

“Keeping all of this in view, I Ganesh Goghra, submit my resignation from Dungarpur with you,” the letter says.

On Tuesday, at a follow up camp of ‘Prashashan Gaon Ke Sang’, Goghra had allegedly locked up the SDM and a dozen other local officials at gram panchayat bhawan, accusing them of not allotting land deeds. The matter was subsequently resolved after senior officials arrived.

However, an FIR was lodged against him and others at the local police station past midnight, following a complaint by the tehsildar, who was also allegedly locked up.

Sadar Dungarpur SHO Hajari Lal told The Indian Express that an FIR was filed under Indian Penal Code sections 186 (voluntarily obstructs any public servant in the discharge of his public functions), 143 (unlawful assembly), 342 (wrongful confinement), 347 (wrongful confinement to extort property, or constrain to illegal act) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty).

“The FIR named 11 persons, including the MLA, and 50-60 unnamed persons,” the SHO said.

Talking to journalists on Wednesday, the MLA said that, “People sent me to the Assembly so that I, as their MLA, can raise their voice. And if the MLA raises their issues and has an FIR filed against him and 60 others – then I would like to tell the administration to file as many FIRs as you want under as many sections, there will be an andolan whether I remain an MLA or not.”

As per Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, an MLA has to submit his resignation with the Assembly Speaker, as defined in section 173 which deals with resignation of seats in House. However, Goghra has addressed his resignation to the CM and marked a copy to Speaker C P Joshi and others.

Considered a Gehlot loyalist, Goghra was appointed as state president of the Youth Congress in July 2020, during the political crisis, when he had replaced Mukesh Bhakar.