Centre’s involvement in early release of Bilkis Bano case convicts, receives severe backlash

Hyderabad: The Centre’s nod for release of Bilkis Bano case convicts, has been receiving severe backlash from various parts of the country. Apart from political parties, several professionals including noted advocates, journalists and others have termed the Centre’s decision as “shocking, shameful, repulsive”.

TRS (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao on Tuesday found it shocking that the affidavit filed by the Gujarat government in the Supreme Court. The Gujarat government claimed that it had decided to release 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case after the Centre gave its approval.

“Shocking!! All along it was reported that Gujarat Govt released the “Sanskari Rapists”. Turns out it is union Govt who actually approved this! Shameful & repulsive, (sic)” he tweeted. He opined that letting out rapists and child-killers just for political gains was a new low even by the very low BJP standards.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi stated that Bilkis Bano rapists were released early after approval from union Home Minister Amit Shah’s ministry. “These men were guilty of brutal rape & murder. A 3 year old’s head was bashed with a rock. They were killed only because they were Muslim. For BJP, no crime is too grave if the victims are Muslim,” Owaisi tweeted. He termed the release was against the Centre’s own policy.