Bilkis Bano is once again facing mental agony. Not only did the Gujarat government release their convicts, but such a disgusting statement of the ruling party’s MLA has come to the fore, after which the statement of BJP MLA from Godhra CK Raulji is being criticized in sharp words.
Talking to news portal Mojo Story, CK Raulji also suggested that the culprits could have been deliberately implicated.
CK Raulji said, “They are good people – Brahmins. And Brahmins are known to have good ‘sanskaar’. It might have been someone’s ill intention to corner and punish them.” Along with this, the BJP MLA also supported those who welcomed the 11 convicts with sweets and garlands after they were released from jail.
The clip that is now doing the rounds on social media was shared by Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader Y Satish Reddy. “BJP now terms rapists as ‘Men of Good Sanskar’. This is the lowest a party can ever stoop!” he wrote along with the clip. Let us tell you that, Raulji was also a member of the committee which recommended the release.
In June this year, the Modi government had issued a guide line for the states, proposing a special release policy of convicted prisoners, to commemorate the elixir of freedom. However, that list did not include rape convicts who are to be given special release under this policy.
In the Bilkis Bano case, the guidelines of the Center were not implemented on technical grounds. The Gujarat government in May followed its own guidelines, as per the Supreme Court’s directions, in releasing 11 people convicted in the rape and murder case of a pregnant woman. However, it seems that this decision is against the ideology of the Center for such matters. This protest is clearly clarified in point number 5 of page 4 of the special policy of the Center on the website of the Ministry of Home Affairs. It is clearly stated in one point that no person sentenced to life imprisonment shall be released.
Significantly, in 2002, there were riots in Gujarat after the Godhra incident. During this, a mob attacked the family of Bilkis Bano in Randhikpur village of Limkheda taluka of Dahod district. According to reports, Bilkis Bano was pregnant at that time. It is noteworthy that the accused gang-raped Bilkis Bano and seven members of his family were murdered.