Mobilenews24x7 Bureau
A National shocker like the case of Bilkis Bano now, it appears, is being played second fiddle by all the institutions in the country.
The tragic and brutal crime of 2002 Godhra riots, still rings through the psyche of women across the country, the world and left many wondering that, how some convicts of that nature could be released by the State.
Now, it is not a matter of debate that who did sound the release bell but under which conscience.
The eleven convicts who raped and tortured a woman with a bestial hate and committed crimes like killing her family members, perhaps, the judicial apparatus do not require a petition but the matter should have been taken as suo motu cognizance and trial conducted.
Nearly two decades have passed and the media still discusses the matter as ‘how the convicts were set free’! Or under which provision the state could self-adjudicate that, the 11 convicts were innocent.
Since 2002 the issue is being refused to be in the flame of cast iron so that, the truth came out and the accused are back in the prison.
But what has been brazenly stereotyped year after year, is the hearing of the matter by the Apex court. And, till date there is hardly any update of that repetitious situation.
It is peculiar situation or say paradox that the courts have heard from the state that, it was because of “good behaviour’ the convicts were released.
That means anyone is entitled to commit a heinous crime and be well behaved inside the jails to get free.
The Gujarat government had further justified its decision on the grounds that the remission was granted in accordance with the 1992 policy which placed no bar against premature release of rape convicts.
They had taken shelter Chhaparvad . However, on 3 March, they were attacked by about 20-30 people armed with sickles, swords, and sticks. Among the attackers were the 11 accused men.
Bilkis, her mother, and three other women were raped and brutally assaulted. Of the 17-member group of Muslims from Radhikpur village, eight were found dead, six were missing. Only Bilkis, a man, and a three-year-old survived the attack.
How can an intended crime of that magnitude could even be weighed with ‘good behaviour’, sound horribly so unrealistic.
