'Country seeing difference between PM Modi's words and deeds': Rahul Gandhi on release of Bilkis Bano rape case convicts

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday (August 17, 2022) attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the release of the convicts in the Bilkis Bano rape case and said that the entire country is seeing the "difference" between his words and deeds. Taking to his official Twitter account, he also asked what message is being sent out to the women of the country through such decisions.

"Those who raped a five-month pregnant woman and killed her three-year-old daughter were released during 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav'. What message is being given to the women of the country by those who peddle lies about 'Nari Shakti'?

"Prime Minister Ji, the entire country is seeing the difference between your words and deeds," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

5 महीने की गर्भवती महिला से बलात्कार और उनकी 3 साल की बच्ची की हत्या करने वालों को 'आज़ादी के अमृत महोत्सव' के दौरान रिहा किया गया।

नारी शक्ति की झूठी बातें करने वाले देश की महिलाओं को क्या संदेश दे रहे हैं?

प्रधानमंत्री जी, पूरा देश आपकी कथनी और करनी में अंतर देख रहा है।

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 17, 2022

His statements come two days after the BJP government in Gujarat, PM Modi's home state, released all the 11 convicts sentenced to life imprisonment in the 2002 post-Godhra Bilkis Bano gang rape case under its remission policy. 

The former Congress chief was apparently referring to the prime minister's Independence Day speech on August 15, where he had asked Indians to take a pledge not to do anything that lowers the dignity of women.

#WATCH PM Narendra Modi gives a powerful message to the nation to take a pledge to stop disrespecting women#IndiaAt75 pic.twitter.com/G92Z2hOVA6

— ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2022

It is notable that a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Mumbai on January 21, 2008, sentenced the eleven accused to life imprisonment on the charge of gang rape and murder of seven members of Bilkis Bano's family. Their conviction was later upheld by the Bombay High Court.

These convicts had served more than 15 years in jail after which one of them approached the Supreme Court with a plea for his premature release. The apex court had directed the Gujarat government to look into the issue of remission of his sentence following which the government formed a committee, said Panchmahals Collector Sujal Mayatra, who headed the panel.

Bilkis Bano's family members were attacked by a mob at Randhikpur village in Limkheda taluka of the Dahod district during the post-Godhra riots on March 3, 2002. Bilkis Bano, who was five months pregnant at that time, was gang-raped and seven members of her family were killed. Six other members managed to run away, the court was told.

The accused in the case were arrested in 2004.

(With agency inputs)