rapists back to jail(jail) 

New Delhi: Bilkis Bano, who was a victim of gang rape during the 2002 riots in Gujarat, said on the Supreme Court’s decision to pardon the sentence of 11 convicts, that this is what justice feels like. While canceling the Gujarat government’s decision to grant remission in punishment, (jail)  the top court said that the state government issued the order without thinking.
In a statement issued through her lawyer Shobha Gupta, Bano thanked the apex court for the verdict and said, ‘Today is truly a new year for me.’ He said, ‘This relief brought tears of joy to my eyes. I have been able to smile for the first time in more than a year and a half. I hugged my children. It feels as if a stone the size of a mountain has been removed from my chest, and I can breathe again.”

Bano said, ‘This is what justice feels like. I thank the Honorable Supreme Court of India for giving me this support and hope by promising to provide equal justice to all, my children and women everywhere. Accusing the Gujarat government of misusing its power, the Supreme Court also directed the 11 convicts to return to jail within two weeks.
In the statement, Bano also said that a struggle like hers can never be fought alone. She said, “My husband and my children are with me. I have my friends, who have given me so much love in this time of so much hatred, and have held my hand at every difficult turn. I have an extraordinary lawyer, Advocate Shobha Gupta, who has been with me for more than 20 years and who has never let me lose hope about justice.

“A year and a half ago, on August 15, 2022, when those who had destroyed my family and terrorized my existence were granted early release, I was heartbroken,” she said. Bano said that she felt that her courage had ended, however in the meantime people supported her.

Bano said, “Thousands of common people and women of India came forward. He stood by me, supported me and filed a PIL in the Supreme Court. 6,000 people from across the country and 8,500 people from Mumbai wrote appeals, 10,000 people wrote an open letter. 40,000 people from 29 districts of Karnataka also did the same.”
He said, “To each of these individuals, my gratitude for your valuable solidarity and support. You gave me the will to fight to save the idea of justice not only for me but for every woman in India. I thank you.”

Let us tell you that the Supreme Court, accusing the Gujarat government of misusing its powers, has rejected the state government’s decision to grant remission to 11 convicts in the case of gang rape of Bilkis Bano and murder of seven members of her family during the 2002 riots. The decision was canceled on Monday and instructions were given to send the culprits to jail within two weeks.

A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjwal Bhuyan said the Gujarat government’s order granting remission of sentence was passed without due consideration and asked whether “remission of sentence is permissible in cases of heinous crimes against women”, No matter what religion or sect the woman follows.
Bilkis Bano was 21 years old and five months pregnant at the time of the incident. The rape was committed during the riots that broke out in 2002 after the Bano to Godhra train fire. His three-year-old daughter was also among the seven members of his family killed in the riots.