Imagine having brutally harassed by an individual both in mental and physically terms. What will be your state of mind suppose the harassment by the individual also costed you the life of your beloved? What if the individual gains remission from the punishment when the suffering of your wound is still not dry.
Bilkis Bano who was in her early twenties and was carrying, when she was gang raped and total of 14 members from her family were killed in 2002 communal riot. The legal fight Bilkis Bano undertook was no less than a war. In 2008, 11 culprits were given a life imprisonment in the famous Bilkis Bano rape and murder case. But the Police and doctor involved in tampering the evidences were absolved from the accusations. The continued fight of Bilkis Bano saw its success in 2017 when doctor and police too were convicted of the offence. The CBI special judge who undertook the case regarded Bilkis Bano ‘Courageous’ as she was the sole witness and the one to identify all the 11 culprits, giving a new turn to the case which was almost closed by the lower court.
But now the courageous and the warrior Bilkis Bano’s right to life seems in a question with the release of all the 11 culprits. In the country with existing high profile cases like Nirbhaya, Asifa, Bilkis Bano and a never ending list, the remission of Bilkis Bano case culprits don’t set a good example to already deteriorated women’s safety in the nation. Amongst the incidents like Hathras rape and murder case victim being cremated by police personnels without family’s notice, Kerala court judgement stating the provocative clothing of women being the cause for rape, the release of culprits of Bilkis Bano rape seems to be continued norm. The life of Bilkis Bano too is at question with the heroic release of the heinous criminals. Also the legality of release stands out in question as the ‘Gujrat remission policy 2014’ clearly states that, the rape and murder convicts cannot be released by the State Government.
With 75th year of Independence being celebrated in the nation safety, liberty and justice weighing towards the threads of haves is shaking.
Image by jessica45
