ACTION PUNJAB NEWS Desk: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi lauded the Supreme Court’s decision to nullify the Gujarat government’s order releasing 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano rape case. Describing it as a “victory of justice,” Gandhi took a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), labeling them the ‘patron of criminals’ and warning against undermining justice for electoral gains.
In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi emphasized the dangerous tendency of compromising justice for political advantage and hailed the court’s decision as a revelation of who stands as the ‘patron of criminals.’ He commended Bilkis Bano’s relentless struggle as symbolic, asserting the triumph of justice over the perceived arrogance of the BJP government.
चुनावी फायदे के लिए ‘न्याय की हत्या’ की प्रवृत्ति लोकतांत्रिक व्यवस्था के लिए खतरनाक है।
आज सुप्रीम कोर्ट के फैसले ने एक बार फिर देश को बता दिया कि ‘अपराधियों का संरक्षक’ कौन है।
बिलकिस बानो का अथक संघर्ष, अहंकारी भाजपा सरकार के विरुद्ध न्याय की जीत का प्रतीक है।— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 8, 2024
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s reaction:
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra echoed her brother’s sentiments, celebrating the court’s verdict as a triumph of justice. She exposed what she deemed the BJP’s anti-women policies, expressing confidence that the ruling would enhance public trust in the justice system. Vadra congratulated Bilkis Bano for her courageous perseverance.
अंततः न्याय की जीत हुई है। सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने गुजरात दंगों के दौरान गैंगरेप की शिकार #BilkisBano के आरोपियों की रिहाई रद्द कर दी है। इस आदेश से भारतीय जनता पार्टी की महिला विरोधी नीतियों पर पड़ा हुआ पर्दा हट गया है। इस आदेश के बाद जनता का न्याय व्यवस्था के प्रति विश्वास और मजबूत…
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) January 8, 2024
Support from Opposition:
Opposition parties and leaders, including Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), Communist Party of India (Marxist), and AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi, welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision. They hailed Bilkis Bano’s unwavering fight as a symbol of victory against injustice.
The Supreme Court nullified the Gujarat government’s order, asserting its lack of competence to release the rape convicts due to the trial taking place in Maharashtra. The court criticized the Gujarat government for overstepping its jurisdiction, deeming the remission orders an abuse of power. The convicts were ordered to surrender back to prison within two weeks.
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In 2002, Bilkis Bano, aged 21 and pregnant, was gang-raped during the Gujarat communal riots. The release of 11 convicts by the Gujarat government last year, based on good behavior after 14 years of imprisonment, sparked controversy and led to the recent Supreme Court intervention.
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(Inputs from agencies)
