Bilkis Bano Case: Release of Convicts Is an Insult to Mankind, Says Khushbu

A woman who is raped, assaulted, brutalised, and her soul scarred for life must get justice, she added.

Khushbu Sundar. 

(Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

At least two leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have condemned the release and felicitation of the convicts in the 2002 Bilkis Bano case of Gujarat, who were released after the BJP government in Gujarat allowed their premature release under its remission policy.

BJP leader in Tamil Nadu Khushbu Sundar on Wednesday, 24 August, took to Twitter to say that the release of the convicts “is an insult to humankind.”

“A woman who is raped, assaulted, brutalised, and her soul scarred for life must get justice. No man who has been involved in it should go free. If he does so, it's an insult to humankind and womanhood. #BilkisBano or any woman, needs support, beyond politics n ideologies. Period (sic),” the BJP leader tweeted.

On 15 August, all the 11 convicts sentenced to life imprisonment in the case of Bilkis Bano's gang rape and murder of her seven family members, during the 2002 communal riots, walked out of the Godhra sub-jail.

The 11 convicts were welcomed with garlands following their release from jail. The BJP, whose MLAs were on the Gujarat government-appointed remission committee, faced flak over the release of the convicts and the welcome accorded to them.

'Wrong if Person Accused of Crime is Felicitated'

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday, 23 August, while speaking in the Assembly, had said that the convicts were released following a Supreme Court order, but it was wrong if a person accused of a crime is "felicitated" and there can be no justification for such an act.

He was replying to a discussion in the Legislative Council on an incident in the Bhandara district, where a 35-year-old woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by three people.

“The accused have been freed after completing nearly 14 years in jail. The release has been done after a Supreme Court order. But it is wrong if any accused is felicitated and welcomed. An accused is an accused and there can be no justification for this (act),” said Fadnavis, who is also the state’s Home Minister.

A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Mumbai on January 21 2008 had sentenced the 11 accused to life imprisonment on the charge of gang rape and murder of seven members of riot survivor Bilkis Bano's family.

Their conviction was later upheld by the Bombay High Court.

(Published in an arrangement with The News Minute.)