Last Updated on August 22, 2022 9: 23am
SHILLONG: The Thma U Rangli-Juki (TUR), in Meghalaya, has launched a campaign calling for “repealing the premature release” of the eleven rapists of Bilkis Bano from jail.
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“We call on people of Meghalaya to join the call for repealing the premature release by endorsing a letter which we will be sending to the President of India,” TUR leader Angela Rangad said.
“The letter for endorsements will be shared across social media platforms or persons wanting to join this signature campaign can also message on 9863097754,” Rangad said.
She added: “We strongly call upon the Indian State to undo this socially destructive, legally untenable and morally demeaning miscarriage and travesty of justice.”
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Rangad has also demanded NPP-led MDA government in Meghalaya to condemn the release of the rapists of Bilkis Bano.
“We in Meghalaya need to remind ourselves that the current MDA government consists of members belonging to the same party (BJP) that facilitated this miscarriage of justice,” TUR leader Angela Rangad said.
“We call upon the government of Meghalaya to condemn this anti-minority, anti-women action that goes against all principles of justice and rule of law,” Rangad demanded.
Furthermore, the TUR demanded that the “Prime Minister and his Government uphold the dignity of this nation and show us that India at 75 can still be counted among the nations that uphold gender and social justice and can stand by moral, ethical and legal commitments”.
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“The PM’s speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort surpassed all other crescendos rising to an especially tear jerking emotional octave in talking about women’s rights, women’s dignity and Nari Shakti!” TUR leader Angela Rangad said.
“At the same time in an unbelievable contrast to this commitment to gender justice the state of Gujarat executed the most horrendous and unconscionable action by the premature release of 11 gang rapists and mass murderers convicted in the Bilkis Bano case,” she added.
She further went on to say: “We join feminist friends and comrades across the country to reiterate that this remission of the 11 convicted gangrapists and mass murderers will have a chilling effect on every rape victim who is told to trust the system, seek justice and have faith. It hits at the very foundation of the State itself as it violates the State of Gujarat’s own existing remission policy… and the guidelines issued by the Central government to States on a prisoner release policy to coincide with Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav which also clearly states that among the categories of prisoners NOT to be granted Special Remission are ‘those convicted of rape’. Most importantly, in a case investigated and prosecuted by the CBI, no remission can be granted by a State without concurrence by the Centre. That such a remission was even considered, and then permitted, reveals the hollowness of the public posturing about Nari Shakti, Beti Bachao, women’s rights and justice for victims. Or is it that the state of Gujarat today is a law unto itself?”