Gujarat: Convict of Bilquis case shown on stage with BJP MP-MLA in government function
BJP’s Dahod MP Jaswantsinh Bhabhor and his brother Shailesh, one of the 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano gang-rape case during the 2002 Gujarat riots who were released last year under the amnesty policy of the Gujarat government, at a government event on Saturday Bhabhor, who is the BJP MLA from Limkheda, was present on the dais.
Bilkis Bano case convicts Shailesh Bhatt, 63, and the Bhabhor brothers had attended the foundation stone laying ceremony of a Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board (GWSSB) project at Karmadi village in Singwad taluka of Dahod district.
On Saturday, MP Jaswant Singh himself also shared the pictures of the government program on Twitter. Information regarding the benefits of the scheme was given in the tweet. Bhatt is also seen in one of these pictures.
દાહોદ જીલ્લાના લીમખેડા તાલુકા ખાતે કડાણા ડેમ બલ્ક પાઈપલાઈન આધારિત લીમખેડા જૂથ પાણી પુરવઠા યોજના અંતર્ગત અંદાજીત રકમ ૧૦૧.૮૯ કરોડના કામોનું ભૂમિ પૂજન કર્યું. જેમાં લીમખેડા તાલુકાના ૪૩ ગામ, સિંગવડ તાલુકાના ૧૮ ગામ તથા ઝાલોદ તાલુકાના ૩ ગામને આ યોજનાનો લાભ મળશે.#MemberofParliament pic.twitter.com/sPxZR9VcsK
— Jasvantsinh Bhabhor (@jsbhabhor) March 25, 2023
In the photographs of the program released by Dahod District Information Department, Bhatt is seen sitting in the row between Jaswantsinh Bhabhor and Singwad Taluka Panchayat President Kanta Damor. Photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Water Supply Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya and Jaswant Singh Bhabhor have been displayed on the stage.
“It (GWSSB) was a public event in which I participated… I have nothing more to say,” Bhatt told The Indian Express.
While MP Jaswantsinh Bhabhor did not respond to questions on Bhatt’s presence, his brother Shailesh Bhabhor said, “As an MLA, I was so busy with the program that I did not see who else was sitting on the dais.” . I will see if he (Bhatt) was present at the event.
Dahod district administrative officials said they were not aware who had invited Bhatt to the event. Pradeep Parmar, deputy engineer, GWSSB, Dahod, said, “The invitation is not sent by the water supply department, even though the event is organized by our department…the panchayat members of the taluka would have invited the guests. We do not know who made the arrangements to sit on the dais. It is possible that the local engineer of GWSSB in Limkheda is aware of the list.
After this incident, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has expressed anger about this on Monday. Sharing a picture in this regard on Twitter, he wrote, ‘The rapists of Bilkis Bano appeared on stage with the BJP MP-MLA from Gujarat. I want to see these demons back in jail, whose key should be thrown away. And I want that this cruel government which makes a mockery of justice should be thrown out of power. I want India to get its morality back.
Bilkis Bano's Rapist Shares Stage With Gujarat's BJP MP, MLA.
I want to see these monsters back in jail & the key thrown away. And I want this satanic government that applauds this travesty of justice voted out. I want India to reclaim her moral compass. pic.twitter.com/noaoz1c7ZW
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) March 26, 2023
It is known that these 11 people had gang-raped 19-year-old Bilkis Bano on March 3, 2002, in a village near Ahmedabad. At that time she was pregnant and then Prime Minister Narendra Modi used to be the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Seven members of Bilkis’s family were also killed in the violence, including her three-year-old daughter.
The Supreme Court ordered a CBI inquiry after Bilkis approached the National Human Rights Commission regarding the matter. The accused in the case were arrested in 2004.
On January 21, 2008, a special CBI court sentenced 11 accused to life imprisonment after finding them guilty of gang rape of Bilkis Bano and murder of her seven family members. He was convicted under the Indian Penal Code for conspiracy to rape a pregnant woman, murder and unlawful assembly.
But, on August 15, all the 11 convicts were released from the Godhra sub-jail on August 16 after the BJP government of Gujarat granted amnesty under its amnesty policy.
In the video that surfaced on social media after the release of the convicts, these people coming out of jail were welcomed by feeding them sweets and garlanding them. The workers had expressed anger about this. Apart from this, more than 6,000 people, including hundreds of women activists, appealed to the Supreme Court to cancel the decision to pardon the convicts.
At that time, very disappointed with this decision, Bilkis also appealed to the Gujarat government to withdraw this decision in a statement released through her lawyer.
However, the release of the convicts has been challenged in the Supreme Court, on which the hearing is on. Mahua Moitra is also included in the petitioners. It is notable that in the last Gujarat assembly elections, the BJP has given election ticket to the MLA who called these culprits ‘cultured’.
