Rahul Gandhi Hails Bilkis Bano Case Verdict as Triumph of Justice Over BJP Government’s Arrogance

New Delhi : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi praised the Supreme Court’s decision in the Bilkis Bano case on Monday, calling it a “victory of justice against the arrogant BJP government.” Expressing concern about the dangerous trend of compromising justice for electoral gains, Gandhi emphasized the importance of upholding democratic principles.

In a statement on ‘X’, Gandhi said, “The tendency to ‘kill justice’ for electoral gains is dangerous for the democratic system. Today the Supreme Court’s decision once again told the country who is the ‘patron of criminals.’ Bilkis Bano’s tireless struggle is a symbol of the victory of justice against the arrogant BJP government.”

The Supreme Court, led by Justice BV Nagarathna, nullified the Gujarat government’s August 15, 2023 decision to release the 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case under the 1992 remission and premature release policy. The court ruled that Gujarat lacked jurisdiction to grant remission and directed all 11 convicts to report to jail authorities within two weeks.

The apex court criticized the Gujarat government for overstepping its authority and questioned why it did not file a review petition after the court’s May 13, 2022 order. The court emphasized that the Maharashtra government, under whose jurisdiction the convicts were sentenced, was the competent authority for granting remission, not the Gujarat government where the offense occurred.

On August 15 of the previous year, the Gujarat government released the 11 convicts involved in the gang rape of Bilkis Bano and the murder of seven of her family members during the 2002 Gujarat riots. The Supreme Court declared the remission orders void, citing the Gujarat government’s encroachment on the powers of the Maharashtra government.