New Delhi: Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the release of the convicts in the Bilkis Bano case and said the entire country is seeing the difference between his words and deeds.
The party asked Modi as well as Home Minister Amit Shah, whether they gave the green signal for the Gujarat government’s decision to free 11 rape and murder convicts on Independence Day.
Indian Congress also found fault with a section of the BJP for their “silence” and asked why a party which used the Nirbhaya gang-rape case for its political entry and promised of a different kind of politics, not coming out against the state’s decision.
In a Tweet, Rahul Gandhi led the attack against Modi that those who raped a five-month pregnant woman and killed her three-year-old daughter were released during the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’. “What message is being delivered to women by those who are lying about women power? Prime Minister, the whole country sees the difference between your words and deeds.”
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi said, “Respect for women only in speeches? Women are asking.” In a Tweet, Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said, “Brazenly shameless. Do you really think the Gujarat government did the early release without knowledge and approval of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister?” Congress Leader Khera said, “We demand an answer from Modi and Amit Shah on whether the Gujarat government had sought the Centre’s concurrence before giving remission to the convicts in Bilkis Bano rape case as is the law.” Questioning the “silence”, Khera also said, “Why are we silent as a society? We also want to ask, why the media is silent, the same media that in one voice sought strong laws after the rape of Nirbhaya. If we do not ask these questions now, our society will stink and the world will feel the stench.
If we do not ask these questions today there will be no tomorrow for this country.” Around 6,000 signatories, including activists, eminent writers, historians, filmmakers, journalists and former bureaucrats, August 18 urged the Supreme Court to revoke the early release of 11 rapists in the Bilkis Bano case.
This is about respect for life, about respect for women, about how difficult it is to ensure justice in today’s India and about how there will be more Nirbhayas because there will always be politicians who are willing to help rapists and murderers of women. Web Desk
