Congress attacks the Gujarat government on its policies.
On August 15, all the 11 convicts sentenced to life imprisonment in the 2002 case of Bilkis Bano’s gang rape and murder of her seven family members during the communal riots walked out of the Godhra sub-jail after the BJP government in Gujarat allowed their release under its remission policy.
On Monday when Bilkis Bano saw the news at her home in Gujarat’s Devgadh Baria in Dahod, she went numb; it seemed like time came to a standstill. The news had broken that the 11 men, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment for gang-raping her and murdering her family members during the 2002 Gujarat riots, had been released from Godhra sub-jail after a panel set up by the Gujarat government approved their application for remission of the sentence.
Her husband, Yakub Rasool, was quoted as telling Indian Express, “We have been left numb, shocked and shaken. The battle we fought for so many years has been wrapped up in one moment.
A sentence of life imprisonment given by the court has been curtailed in such a manner… We had never even heard of the word ‘remission’. We didn’t even know that such a process exists.”
The horrors have only compounded for Bilkis as the convicts when walking out of jail, were welcomed with sweets and garlands outside the jail. Radheshyam Shah, the convict whose plea for premature release paved the way for all the 11 life sentence convicts to walk out of jail, said he felt happy to be released.
“The Gujarat government has released us as per the order of the Supreme Court. I feel glad to be out as I will be able to meet my family members and begin a new life,” he said.
The matter quickly escalated into a political battle with the Opposition over the release of the convicts.
As the issue snowballs into a political battle
The BJP’s support to criminals displays the party’s mindset towards women, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged on Thursday and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi if he was ashamed of “such politics”.
HomePolitical PulseBilkis Bano order: As Cong sharpens attack, BJP says no comment, AAP silent
Bilkis Bano order: As Cong sharpens attack, BJP says no comment, AAP silent
AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, who announced a “guarantee” for women at an August 10 meeting in the state, did not raise the issue at a Kutch town hall on Tuesday.
AS THE Congress sharpened its attack on the BJP Gujarat government over the remission of life sentences of the 11 accused in the gangrape of Bikis Bano and the murder of 14 members of her family, the BJP continued to maintain silence, including its Women and Child Welfare Minister and its women and minority morcha leaders.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is pitching itself as a challenger to the BJP in the coming Gujarat elections, has also chosen silence on the matter. Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, who announced a “guarantee” for women at an August 10 meeting in the state, did not raise the issue at a Kutch town hall on Tuesday.
After the Congress’s central unit held a press conference in Delhi Tuesday where it reminded Prime Minister Narendra Modi of ‘Raj Dharma’, its Rajya Sabha MP Amee Yajnik and president of its Gujarat Pradesh Mahila Morcha Jenny Thummar attacked the PM Wednesday for making “hollow claims” on women empowerment in his Independence Day speech.
Thummar said: “There are over 3.25 crore women in Gujarat. Just imagine how every woman in this state felt when those 11 men walked off laughing from jail.
The BJP that talks about respect for women have pardoned rapists and murderers.”
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said there was a difference between the PM’s words and deeds.
The party also claimed Wednesday that a state cannot on its own give remission in a case that had been investigated by a Central agency, in this case, the CBI. “We demand an answer from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah on whether the Gujarat government sought the Centre’s concurrence before giving remission to the convicts,” Congress leader Pawan Khera said in Delhi.
Bilkis Bano gangrape |In May, SC had asked the Gujarat govt to decide on remission of convict
Asked about the remission order, Gujarat Minister of State for Women & Child Welfare (Independent Charge) Manisha Vakil and state BJP Mahila Morcha chief Dipika Saradva refused to comment. On Tuesday, BJP state spokesperson Yamal Vyas told The Indian Express that the party did not want to comment as “it was a court matter”.
A senior office-bearer of the party said they have been instructed not to speak on the issue since “it is connected with the Supreme Court”.
