Two days after the rapists walked free as the nation celebrated 75 years of Independence on Monday, Bilkis Bano for the first time states, “Give me back my right to live without fear and in Peace. She feels, “the release of the men convicted of raping her and killing her family “has taken from me my peace and shaken my faith in justice.”
Betrayed
Bilkis Bano, the survivor of one of the most horrific rape cases during the 2002 Gujarat riots, said that the release of the 11 rapists has “shaken” her faith in justice. She feels betrayed and deeply hurt . This betrayal has left her numb and short of words.
18 long years
Bilkis Bano who fought for justice for 18 long years said, “ How can justice for any woman end like this? I trusted the highest courts in our land. I trusted the system, and I was learning slowly to live with my trauma… My sorrow and my wavering faith is not for myself alone but for every woman who is struggling for justice in courts,”
state of shock
She also claimed in her statement that the Gujarat government did not consult. In fact she is in a state of shock. Bilkis said, “No one enquired about my safety and well-being, before taking such a big and unjust decision.”
Concern for her safety
Speaking to NDTV, Lawyer of Bilkis Bano said, safety of Bilkis has been a big concern since the rapists were released. Shobha Gupta, the lawyer said, when the men were in jail , Bilkis had to hide and run from one -place to another for her safety. After the release of the 11 men, the safety of Bilkis is unimaginable.
Gujarat government
On the contrary, the Gujarat government is defending its decision to release the 11 men. The government quotes the 1992 policy, directed by the Supreme Court. It also claims that it was in effect at the time of the conviction in 2008.
It has become obvious that the government at the center and the state of Gujarat are using the loopholes in the system to run their ‘double-engine Sarkar.’
ALSO READ: Bilkis Bano case: 11 convicted for life imprisonment released from Godhra Jail
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