India Tomorrow
NEW DELHI—Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), a prominent socio-religious organization of Indian Muslims, has appealed to the Ministry of Home Affairs to stand with the victims, not with criminals and rapists.
The Jamaat has appealed in connection with Bilkis Bano, who was gang-raped, and 14 of her relatives, including her three-year-old daughter, were brutally killed during the 2002 Gujarat anti-Muslim pogrom. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief minister when the anti-Muslim violence took place in the state.
The role of the Home Ministry in the early release of the convicts came to public knowledge after the Gujarat government submitted an affidavit before the Supreme Court on Monday. The Gujarat government said 11 convicts were released prematurely after approval by the Home Ministry.
Condemning the consent of the Home Ministry to release the rapists of Bilkis Bano, JIH vice-president Prof Salim Engineer, in a media statement, said that “by agreeing with the Gujarat government under its amended remission policy for the release of 11 men convicted of gangraping a pregnant Bilkis Bano and murdering 14 members of her family, including her 3-year-old daughter in the post-Godhra violence in 2002, the MHA has given the impression that it sides with criminals and rapists and not with the victim.”
He further said, “This exposes its hollow claims to be the defender of women’s rights and empowerment. It has hurt not only Bilkis Bano and members of her family but also the deprived sections of our country.”
“It is regrettable that in our system, rapists are being honoured as was seen in the case of Unnao, Kathua, and Hathras. It seems that reaping political dividends by appeasing a particular vote bank is more important for the ruling dispensation than justice,” the JIH leader pointed out.
“We condemn the decision and hope the apex court intervenes in the matter to reverse this grave injustice carried out under the guise of official government policy,” Prof. Salim said.
Pointing out that the CBI officers and CBI court judge who had convicted the accused had vehemently opposed the early release of the prisoners, the JIH leader regretted that “the MHA still approved of the remission of these convicts despite knowing that they were guilty of the most heinous crimes like rape and murder.”
“If the government is defending its decision that the release was per law, it must realize that this move will likely encourage criminals and rapists. They will be confident of being bailed out by the system sooner or later despite committing the most severe crimes,” Prof. Salim said.
Quoting media reports that all 11 convicts were given the benefit of parole, furlough, and temporary bail to 1000 days during their jail tenure, he said, “This shows that the Gujarat government considered them to be heroes and worthy of all possible leniency and patronage. How these convicts are being complimented and lauded by some groups is quite objectionable. The entire episode undeniably sets a dangerous precedent that will shake the foundations of our justice delivery system. Moreover, it is bound to affect our reputation in the international community. The rapists and killers in the Bilkis Bano case must not be released if we want to preserve democracy and the rule of law.”
