Digital Desk: In a letter to President Droupadi Murmu, three Gujarati members of the Congress party made a request to reverse the decision to free 11 inmates who had been given life sentences for the gang rape of Bilkis Bano and the murder of her family members in the 2002 Gujarat riots.
The release was described as "extremely shocking" by Congress MLAs Gyasuddin Shaikh of Dariyapur and Imran Khedawala of Jamalpur, both from Ahmedabad, as well as Congress MLA Javed Pirzada of Wankaner.
Shaikh shared the letter on Twitter on Friday, stating that the MLAs had made the decision to appeal to the President in the hopes that she would step in and "direct" the Gujarat government and the Union Home Ministry to "immediately revoke the decision for the early release of the 11 convicts."
The release of those convicted of such a horrifying crime, according to the letter, "showed the BJP government in Gujarat's apathy" on the "auspicious occasion of Independence Day" and tarnished the day. The MLAs noted in their email that it is "all the more startling" since the BJP government in PM Narendra Modi's home state has chosen to free the convicts who were charged with gangraping a woman who was five months pregnant and killing seven members of her family.
The letter added that releasing such "hardened criminals" and welcoming them home and congratulating them sets a "dangerous precedent" and is a "inhuman gesture."
Leave A Comment