AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi praised the Supreme Court's verdict in the Bilkis Bano case on Monday, January 8. Criticizing the BJP government in Gujarat, he condemned the earlier order that had released 11 convicts involved in the gang rape of Bilkis Bano and the murder of her family members during the 2002 Godhra riots.
"I have been saying this from Day 1 that the BJP, as a party, has been helping the rapists of Bilkis Bano. Now, it has been proven true again by the latest judgment of the Supreme Court. I salute the bravery of Bilkis Bano. The BJP should have stood with Bilkis Bano," said the AIMIM chief in an interview with news agency PTI. Also Read: Bilkis Bano Case: SC Quashes Remission Order Of 11 Convicts by Gujarat Govt.
As per the Supreme Court's ruling, the convicts in the Bilkis Bano case are required to report back to the concerned jail authorities within two weeks. The bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan emphasized that the plea for the protection of the liberty of convicts cannot be accepted, and the "natural consequences" of setting aside remission orders must follow.
The top court nullified the Gujarat government's decision to release the convicts under the state's remission policy on August 15, 2022, in the Bilkis Bano case.