BRS criticises Bilkis Bano case convicts on stage for govt programme

The BJP on Sunday permitted one of the 11 convicts in 2002 Bilkis Bano gangrape case, Shailesh Chimanlal Bhatt, to share the stage with a BJP MP and MLA at a programme in Karmadi village

Hyderabad: The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) on Monday came down heavily on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for letting a convict in the Bilkis Bano rape case share a stage with elected public representatives at a Gujarat government programme on Sunday.

Eleven convicts in the 2002 Bilkis Bano gangrape case were released from jail on Independence Day last year under the Gujarat Government’s remission policy and were greeted with garlands. Cutting across sections, people had condemned the deplorable act. Even retired Judge UD Salvi, who was the trial court judge and convicted all the accused, called the act ‘incorrect’.

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However, going a step further, the BJP on Sunday permitted one of the convicts, Shailesh Chimanlal Bhatt, to share the stage with a BJP MP and MLA at a programme in Karmadi village, Dahod district.

Slamming the BJP for the act, Industries Minister and BRS working president KT Rama Rao tweeted: “Welcome to #AmritKaal. Balatkaar Justification Party and it’s Brazen embrace of these rapists is a true reflection of their mindset,” he said.

Welcome to #AmritKaal

Balatkaar Justification Party and it’s Brazen embrace of these rapists is a true reflection of their mindset https://t.co/EBdkfkDbzr

— KTR (@KTRBRS) March 27, 2023

Responding to TSREDCO chairman Y Satish Reddy’s tweet, Rama Rao said: “First they garlanded & celebrated the release of Bilkis Bano convicts. Now, they are seen sharing stage with BJP elected representatives.”

BRS MLC K Kavitha also tweeted: “Bilkis Bano Rapist openly shares stage with BJP’s MPs and MLAs. What have we become as a community that perpetrators of heinous crimes against women are being celebrated and given a platform while the victims plead for justice. India is watching!”