Several Opposition politicians took to social media on Monday, 8 January, to hail the Supreme Court's judgment quashing the remission order granted by the Gujarat government to 11 men convicted of gangraping Bilkis Bano during the 2002 Gujarat riots.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took to X to say that Bano's "tireless struggle" was a symbol of the victory of justice against the "arrogant BJP government".
"The tendency to 'kill justice' for electoral gains is dangerous for the democratic system. Today the Supreme Court's decision once again told the country who is the 'patron of criminals'," he said.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that the judgment would strengthen the public's trust in the justice system.
“With this order, the veil over the anti-women policies of the Bharatiya Janata Party has been removed. After this order, public’s trust in the justice system will be further strengthened. Congratulations to Bilkis Bano for continuing her fight bravely," she said on X.
All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi demanded that the BJP governments at the Centre and in Gujarat apologise to Bano. He also called Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative of promoting "nari shakti" (women's empowerment) a "hollow claim".
"I welcome this judgment and I hope it acts as a precedent against all rapists in the future. Just because you affirm a political ideology, you will not be set free. When Narendra Modi talks about nari shakti, it is a hollow claim," he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
"They are standing with the rapists of Bilkis Bano. BJP governments in Gujarat and Centre, both helped in releasing these people -- they should speak up and apologise to Bilkis Bano," Owaisi added.
National Conference chief and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah welcomed the top court's judgment and expressed hope that the Gujarat government would "act and punish the rapists".
"We all know who fed ladoos to rapists," he added, referring to the time when the convicted men had been released from prison and were greeted with sweets and garlanded by supporters.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechuri also took to social media to express solidarity with Bano.
“It appears that Justice is being delivered to Bilkis Bano finally after two long decades. The brutality of gang rapes and mass murders cannot be brushed aside & the perpetrators remain unpunished," he said.
In its verdict delivered on Monday, a bench led by Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan had said that the Gujarat government was not "competent" to pass the remission order. The court also directed the convicts to report to jail authorities within two weeks.
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