Press Note
Date: 19 August, 2022
Place: Gurgaon
Condemning the decision to release the 11 rapists and murderers from the Bilkis Bano case, we demand that the Supreme Court immediately cancels this decision by the Gujarat government: All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA)
Today, on the 19th of August, 2022, AIDWA Gurgaon unit assembled at Kamla Nehru Park and burnt the effigy of Gujarat’s Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel. The assembly was led by District President Ramvati and leader Bharti Devi. Addressing the crowd, district Joint Secretary Aditi Gautam said that after the Godhra incident, Gujarat witnessed widespread communal violence, during which many women were gangraped and even brutally murdered. Bilkis Bano was a victim of one such atrocity. She was 5 months pregnant when she was gangraped, after which her mother and three other women from her family were also gangraped infront of her. Her three year old daughter was also killed along with 13 others by a mob of 30-40 people. Out of them 19 people were taken in custody as prime suspects, but due to a lack of evidence 7 of the accused were acquitted by a Special Court while 1 accused died during the case. Ultimately, there was enough evidence against 11 people, who were sentenced to life in prison by the Bombay High Court.
Among these 11, Radheshyam Shah had recently approached the Supreme Court seeking a release. The Supreme Court then instructed the Gujarat government to review the case under its 1992 Remission Policy within the next two months. It is important to note that under the 1992 Remission Policy, murder cases ruled by the CBI courts were not excluded. But later, in 2014, the policy was amended to exclude such cases from the purview of the policy. Despite this, the Gujarat government-appointed jail advisory committee, which consisted of several BJP MLAs and party members, released all the accused in the Bilkis Bano case. The only explanation provided by the panel was that the accused have already spent 15 years in jail. This decision is both surprising and insulting. After the accused have been convicted for such heinous crimes and were sentenced to spend their life in imprisonment, the government decided to pardon them on the 75th Independence Day.
This decision is a blatant mockery of the judiciary which had convicted these heinous criminals after a long and arduous court case. On the day when the Prime Minister was talking about the necessity of women’s safety in his speech from the Lal Qila, the same day Gujarat’s BJP government decided to release the accused of cruel gangrape and murder. This makes it evident that even though crimes against women are on the rise, the BJP government is least concerned about even the most cruel atrocities.
CITU leader Comrade Satbir Singh observed that this decision sets a dangerous precedent that will allow crimes against Muslims to be committed without any punishment or accountability. This indirectly encourages those elements in the Sangh Parivar who regularly give death threats and engage in violence against minorities, especially Muslims. This is an open indication to them that they can continue their violence without any consequences. It is also evident that the accused had the tacit support of the government since usually rapists and murderers’ punishment are not reduced. Even the central policies for release of prisoners annouced on thsi Independence day excluded those accused of rape and murder. It becomes clear by this decision by the Gujarat BJP government that the 2002 religious violence and gangrape of Muslim women and murders are irrelevant and are fit their Manuvadi agenda well. AIDWA condemns the fact that when these accused were released, they were welcomed with garlands and sweets like heroes. How does the Central government allow such a disgusting display of communalism?
Just when Bilkis Bano finally thought that she had received justice, her rapists and the murderers of her child were released. We are informed that yet again her and her family’s lives are in danger and she is worried for her future safety. We demand that she be given protection immediately.
In 2019, the Supreme Court provided Bilkis 50 lakhs as compensation and instructed the government to provide her a home and a job. She has still not received any house or job. We demand that the Supreme Court repeals this barbarous and extremely inhumane decision by the Gujarat government to release the gangrape and murder accused of the Bilkis Bano case. The protest was also attended by Girja Kumari, Vidya, Lilavati, Omvati, Poonam, Taravatim Rajkumari, Suman, Vibha Jha, Nirmala Kataria, Rani, Saraswati, Mira, DYFI District Convenor Rohin Garg, Tanvir Ahmen, CITU District Vice President Satbir Singh, Major S.L. Prajapati, Advocate Vinod Bharadwaj, Redi-Patri Union Leader Rajendra Saroha, Virendra Singh, Shubhram Tanwar and others.
