Skip to main content

Bilkis Bano case: Amit Shah allowed release of gangrape, murder convicts, should resign

Representation* to the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, seeking resignation of Union home minister Amit Shah, sent through the Women’s Commission:
***
It turns out that the Home Ministry actually gave permission for remission of sentence of 11 rape and murder convicts in the case of Bilkis Bano in Gujarat. It flies in the face of the argument that the convicts had completed 14 years of sentence, even though it is not settled in law that in every case of life term a 14 years in prison would be considered enough. The Home Ministry order clearly says that it is for ‘premature’ release. Moreover, it has also been revealed that each of the convicts was out for a period ranging between 998 to 1576 days on parole and furlough which means that even 14 years have not been completed. Also, any remission of sentence is based on good behavior of convicts. But three of the convicts Mitesh Bhatt, Ramesh Chandana and Radheshyam Shah have offences registered against them during their sentence. Shockingly, Mitesh Bhatt was involved in another criminal assault on a woman with intention to outrage her modesty in 2020. Ramesh Chandana, Rajubhai Soni, Jasawnt Nai when released on parole or furlough came back to prison by 122, 197 and 75 days late, respectively, if it can be considered any mark of ‘good behavior.’ It is also clear from the pictures after their release from Godhra sub-jail on Independence Day when they were garlanded and offered ladoos that none of them has any remorse for their misdeeds. So, what is the basis for their release except that they are favourites of the ruling party which wishes to further use them to achieve its political ends of communal polarization before the impending Gujarat Assembly elections?
In Ankita Bhandari’s murder case the forensic report has ruled out rape. The accused include Pulkit Arya, son of a former Bhartiya Janata Party leader from Uttarakhand. A Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh office bearer was also booked for posting objectionable material against a relative of Ankita after her murder.
What is this mindset within BJP which appears to be protecting criminals associated with it?
With the ghastliest of crimes committed against Bilkis Bano we seem to have reached the nadir of a process of degradation of morality where some of the criminals have been described by a local BJP Member of Legislative Assembly, who was also a member of the committee which remitted the sentence, as sanskari Brahmins.
In the land of Mahatma Gandhi, who is universally known for upholding virtues of Truth and Non-violence, it is Untruth and Violence which the BJP wants to make normal.
As it is the senior leaders of BJP who seem to have created an atmosphere where rule of law has been compromised, the Home Minister must resign for the most outrageous act of allowing remission of sentence to the 11 accused in Bilkis Bano’s case. We hope you’ll intervene at this very important juncture in our country’s history of upholding justice and rule of law.
---
*Signed by

Comments

Post a Comment

TRENDING

Why Venezuela govt granting amnesty to political prisoners isn't a sign of weakness

By Guillermo Barreto   On 20 May 2017, during a violent protest planned by sectors of the Venezuelan opposition, 21-year-old Orlando Figuera was attacked by a mob that accused him of being a Chavista. After being stabbed, he was doused with gasoline and set on fire in front of everyone present. Young Orlando was admitted to a hospital with multiple wounds and burns covering 80 percent of his body and died 15 days later, on 4 June.
Post a Comment
»

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.
59 comments
»

Walk for peace: Buddhist monks and America’s search for healing

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  The #BuddhistMonks in the United States have completed their #WalkForPeace after covering nearly 3,700 kilometers in an arduous journey. They reached Washington, DC yesterday. The journey began at the Huong Đạo Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 26, 2025, and concluded in Washington, DC after a 108-day walk. The monks, mainly from Vietnam and Thailand, undertook this journey for peace and mindfulness. Their number ranged between 19 and 24. Led by Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara (also known as Sư Tuệ Nhân), a Vietnamese-born monk based in the United States, this “Walk for Peace” reflected deeply on the crisis within American society and the search for inner strength among its people.
Post a Comment
»

Four women lead the way among Tamil Nadu’s Muslim change-makers

By Syed Ali Mujtaba*  A report published by Awaz–The Voice (ATV), a news platform, highlights 10 Muslim change-makers in Tamil Nadu, among whom four are women. These individuals are driving social change through education, the arts, conservation, and activism. Representing diverse fields ranging from environmental protection and literature to political engagement and education, they are working to improve society across the state.
Post a Comment
»

Bangladesh goes to polls as press freedom concerns surface

By Nava Thakuria*  As Bangladesh heads for its 13th Parliamentary election and a referendum on the July National Charter simultaneously on Thursday (12 February 2026), interim government chief Professor Muhammad Yunus has urged all participating candidates to rise above personal and party interests and prioritize the greater interests of the Muslim-majority nation, regardless of the poll outcomes. 
Post a Comment
»

Trade pacts with EU, US raise alarms over farmers, MSMEs and policy space

By A Representative   A broad coalition of farmers’ organisations, trade unions, traders, public health advocates and environmental groups has raised serious concerns over India’s recently concluded trade agreements with the European Union and the United States, warning that the deals could have far-reaching implications for livelihoods, policy autonomy and the country’s long-term development trajectory. In a public statement issued, the Forum for Trade Justice described the two agreements as marking a “tectonic shift” in India’s trade policy and cautioned that the projected gains in exports may come at a significant social and economic cost.
Post a Comment
»

When free trade meets unequal fields: The India–US agriculture question

By Vikas Meshram   The proposed trade agreement between India and the United States has triggered intense debate across the country. This agreement is not merely an attempt to expand bilateral trade; it is directly linked to Indian agriculture, the rural economy, democratic processes, and global geopolitics. Free trade agreements (FTAs) may appear attractive on the surface, but the political economy and social consequences behind them are often unequal and controversial. Once again, a fundamental question has surfaced: who will benefit from this agreement, and who will pay its price?
Post a Comment
»

Why Russian oil has emerged as the flashpoint in India–US trade talks

By N.S. Venkataraman*  In recent years, India has entered into trade agreements with several countries, the latest being agreements with the European Union and the United States. While the India–EU trade agreement has been widely viewed in India as mutually beneficial and balanced, the trade agreement with the United States has generated comparatively greater debate and scrutiny.
Post a Comment
»

Samyukt Kisan Morcha raises concerns over ‘corporate bias’ in seed Bill

By A Representative   The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has released a statement raising ten questions to Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan regarding the proposed Seed Bill 2025, alleging that the legislation is biased in favour of large multinational and domestic seed corporations and does not adequately safeguard farmers’ interests. 
Post a Comment
»