New Delhi, January 18: Asha Devi, Nirbhaya's mother, came down heavily on senior lawyer Indira Jaising over her statement to follow Congress President Sonia Gandhi's example (who forgave Nalini) and forgive the convicts of the rape and murder case of her daughter. Expressing her anguish and disappointment, Nirbhaya's mother said just because of people like Jaising, justice is not done with rape victims. "Who is Indira Jaising to give me such a suggestion? Whole country wants the convicts to be executed. Just because of people like her, justice is not done with rape victims", Asha Devi said.

On Friday, Jaising had urged Asha Devi to pardon the men on death row who were convicted for the 2012 gang rape of her daughter. The statement by the senior lawyer came shortly after Asha Devi expressed her disappointment following a Delhi court postponed the date of the execution of the four convicts. Delhi Court Issues Fresh Death Warrant, Convicts to be Hanged on Feb 1 at 6 AM. 

Taking to Twitter, Jaising requested Nirbhaya's mother to forgive the convicts. "While I fully identify with the pain of Asha Devi I urge her to follow the example of Sonia Gandhi who forgave Nalini and said she didn’t not want the death penalty for her . We are with you but against death penalty", Jaising tweeted. It must be noted that Nalini was arrested and convicted for her role in the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991.

Here's the tweet by Indira Jaising:

The mother of the 23-year-old woman, who was gang raped and murdered said Jaising, who never asked for her well-being is speaking up for the convicts. She further added saying that such people earn livelihood by supporting rapists,hence rape incidents don't stop. "Can't believe how Indira Jaising even dared to suggest such this. I met her many times over the years in Supreme Court, not once she asked for my well-being and today she is speaking for convicts", Asha Devi said.

Here's the tweet:

The death-row convicts who were earlier slated to be executed on January 22 at 7 am are set to be hanged on February 1 at 6 am. Asha Devi rued that the convicts got what they wished for. "I will not be satisfied until they are hanged," she added. The four convicts, Vinay, Akshay, Pawan and Mukesh were convicted and sentenced to death for raping a 23-year-old woman in a moving bus in Delhi on December 16, 2012, which led to her death. A total of six accused were arrested and charged with sexual assault and murder, one of the accused was a minor and appeared before a juvenile justice court, while another accused committed suicide in Tihar Jail.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 18, 2020 11:06 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).