India News | TMC Applauds Supreme Court's Decision in Bilkis Bano Case; Demands Public Apology from BJP

Kolkata, Jan 8 (PTI) The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday lauded the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the premature release of 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case by the BJP-led Gujarat government and demanded a public apology from the saffron camp.

Criticising the BJP-led Union government's commitment to 'Nari Shakti' (women's empowerment), senior TMC leaders condemned the Gujarat government for supporting the convicts.

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TMC national spokesperson and minister Shashi Panja accused the Gujarat government of being complicit and acting in collaboration with the convicts.

"The BJP-led Gujarat government stood by rapists and murderers who were involved in the killing of family members. The way the rapists and murderers were given a grand reception reflects the mindset of the BJP," Panja said.

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Last year, Panja alongwith leaders of the Trinamool Congress Mahila wing had staged a 48-hour dharna near the Gandhi statue in Kolkata to protest the release of the convicts.

During a press conference on Monday, TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh commented, "Today, the Supreme Court issued a historic order directing their return to jail. The BJP does not have any right to speak on issues of women's dignity, law and order, and security of the minority."

"The rapists of Bilkis Bano were backed by the BJP and were released by the BJP-ruled Gujarat government. BJP must apologize to Bilkis Bano," he said.

The party also commended the apex court's verdict on its official handle, stating, "The Supreme Court's ruling quashing the release of 11 rapists of Bilkis Bano by Gujarat Govt lays bare BJP's utter indifference to women! It is a slap on the face of the BJP who facilitated the release of these criminals and glorified the convicts! Justice will always prevail over political agendas!"

In a massive setback to the Gujarat government, the Supreme Court on Monday quashed the remission it had granted to 11 convicts in the high-profile gang-rape case of Bilkis Bano and the killing of her seven family members, while slamming the state for being "complicit" with an accused and abusing its discretion.

It ordered all the convicts, who were released prematurely on Independence Day in 2022, to be sent back to jail within two weeks.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)