Mahua Moitra, a member of parliament for the Trinamool Congress, today strongly criticized the Gujarat administration, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, for deciding to free the 11 men who had been found guilty in the Bilkis Bano gang rape incident during the Gujarat riots in 2002.
This nation had better decide if Bilkis Bano is a woman or a Muslim, said Ms. Moitra, the TMC MP from Krishnanagar, in a tweet today.
Known for her candour on social media, Ms. Moitra has frequently spoken her opinions on significant sociopolitical problems, like as the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) or the gang rape and death of a young girl in Hanskhali hamlet in the Nadia district of West Bengal in April this year.
As soon as video of the convicts being feted with garlands and treats upon their release from prison went viral on social media, the decision to release the 11 men convicted in the Bilkis Bano gang rape case who were all serving life sentences in Godhra sub-jail, led to nationwide outrage and protests.
After the Gujarat government released the 11 rapists on Monday, Independence Day, the family of Bilkis Bano was horrified. "Our 18-year battle is concluded in one swift action, despite the Supreme Court and Bombay High Court issuing rulings. We're terrified. We were not made aware of the release, "Yakub Rasul, Bilkis Bano's husband, had disclosed to the source.
Following the state's own 1992 policy, a committee appointed by the Gujarat administration reached a unanimous conclusion in favor of remission. After one of the offenders petitioned the Supreme Court, the subject was turned over to the state. The state had been tasked by the court to look into the situation.
