Bilkis Bano, the government failed you: Opposition targets Gujarat govt over rape convicts release

Opposition leaders from all parties have slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party after an affidavit revealed that the Gujarat government lobbied to release the Bilkis Bano rape convicts. The state government told the Supreme Court that the 11 convicts were released as they had served 14 years in prison and had demonstrated good behaviour. It also stated that the Centre had approved their release.

"A matter of respect for women from the Red Fort, but in reality support for 'rapists,' the difference between Prime Minister's promise and intention is clear, PM has only cheated women," Congress MP Rahul Gandhi tweeted on Tuesday morning.

 

 

Party spokesperson Shama Mohamed also linked the incident to Dera Sacha Sauda chief and rape convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who was recently granted parole. "Sweets were distributed when Bilkis Bano's rapists and her family's murderers were freed. When rapist and murderer Gurmeet Ram Rahim is released on 40-day parole, he is given a grand welcome. BJP is in government in both Gujarat and Haryana. Why does BJP treat rapists like heroes?" she tweeted.

The SP, CBI, SCB, and Special Judge (CBI), Mumbai, opposed the remission of the sentence for the defendants in the Bilkis Bano case, according to the Gujarat government's affidavit, and it was only the BJP government that pushed for their early release. The women of India will hold Narendra Modi and Amit Shah accountable!" she said.

"The position in which Indian women seek justice from society and its law enforcers is hopeless. Shameful. Bilkis Bano, the government, failed you; it disregarded its duty to provide justice," Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi tweeted. 

 

 

"Bilkis Bano deserves justice, and her rapists should be locked up again," said AIMIM spokesperson Waris Pathan.

 

The Gujarat government told the Supreme Court on Monday that the petitioners challenging the remission of 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano gang rape case are nothing more than an 'interloper' and a 'busybody.' It also stated that since the CBI investigated the case, it had obtained 'suitable orders' from the Centre to remission the convicts.

The state provided factual information about the 11 convicts and stated that it issued a circular in 1992 requesting the early release of the prisoners, who had been given a life sentence but had already served 14 years in jail.

The state Home Department Under Secretary stated in an affidavit that the state government "examined all the perspectives and chose to release 11 prisoners as they have finished 14 years or more in jail and their behaviour was found to be good."

Also Read: Bilkis Bano case: Rapists granted bail for good behaviour, says Gujarat govt to Supreme Court

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