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We Stand With Bilkis Bano

Appalled, horrified but most of all deeply disappointed at the judicial system for releasing all the eleven culprits of a crime so heinous that, they should not have been serving life sentence, but given capital punishment in the first place. What happened to Bilkis Bano years ago is a woman’s worst nightmare. Not only was she gang raped, she was raped repeatedly—22 times to be precise—while she was five months pregnant, and lost her three-year-old daughter who was killed by these monsters as they threw the little girl on the ground, smashing her head on a rock. They did not stop at this, and went as far as raping Bilkis’ mother, another woman and killing many of her family members. As if this suffering wasn’t enough, the committee members in-charge of remission deemed fit to release the convicted, which conspicuously reflects insensitivity towards the pain and trauma of the victim, and exceptional ‘concern’ for the criminals.       

Hearing the interview of one of the committee members, who apparently is a ruling party’s leader, shocked me further. The ignorant fellow trivialized the enormity of tragedy first by saying that he isn’t sure if the culprits committed the crime, then he adds that these men are ‘Brahmins’ and ‘Sanskaari.’ If this member is doubtful of any wrongdoing, why the hell is he made a member of the committee responsible to take such decisions. Isn’t this foolish and sheer bigotry?  

Clearly, ‘caste’ played a key role in freeing these men as they belong to the section of top Hindu category. Setting them free highlights that anyone belonging to upper caste of the religion of the ruling regime can be exonerated from punishment and has to be bear no consequences for wrong doing. However, the leader’s usage of the word ‘Sanskaari’ (of good virtue and morals) inflamed my anger. Does this fellow even know the meaning of Sanskaari? Had these men been sanskaari, they wouldn’t have gone on a raping and murdering spree. ‘No man of good morals and values inflicts such atrocities, you moron!’ I want to howl at him.

Watching the ladies welcoming the released with garlands and smearing men’s foreheads with vermilion further exasperates me. It is unbelievable how women can honour despicable men and celebrate, by offering sweetmeats and touching their feet as a mark of respect. Have they no conscience? Or, are they conditioned to be immune to violence committed by men? In either case, it calls for a wake-up call to show solidarity by standing with Bilkis to revoke the decision of their release.  

The backbone of low crime relies on a strong judicial system, even more so on the implementation of laws charted out, and to make it sturdier, amendments must be made from time-to-time based on the nature of crime. However, neither a rapist nor a murderer should ever be set free. Nonetheless, if a felon is truly repentant and wish to start over as a righteous man, certain set of conditions must be laid out, which he must qualify. But in this case, the offenders committed both–brutally, and hence, should not have been granted release on any account.

By this decision, are we not setting a wrong precedent?… Will this not encourage petty criminals to accelerate the degree of crime?

Understandably, it appears to be a political move, to demonstrate to the minority that their lives do not matter, and they have no legal advantage—or prerogative—to obtain justice in this country; neither do they have the right to live without fear. The decision is absolutely unjust, especially given the gravity of the crime. It has not only shaken Bilkis Bano’s faith in the system, but every breathing woman has been jolted from slumber and is shaking head in disbelief. Consciously or subconsciously, we stand with Bilkis!

Hypothetically, if we were to reverse the religion of the culprits and the victim, and think how this matter would have concluded. Assuredly, the miscreants would have been killed in the prison much before their sentence completion, and their death would have been declared as ‘suicide.’ We would have even applauded nature’s course of justice, saying things like ‘karma.’

Freedom of these men equals to jeering at the pain and trauma caused to Bilkis, not just when the horrific incident took place but even today, as it’s denying her the liberty to take satisfaction that the culprits are rotting away in prison. Denying justice to Bilkis is, denying justice to every woman and conceding to the act of rape and murder. The felons should be made accountable for their actions. Stating ‘good behaviour’ as the reason to liberate them is laughable, since every human being must conduct righteously whether within the walls of the prison or outside of it.

Manipulating law to serve a section of people intent on making life difficult for minority and massaging their own egos through ridiculous decisions is blatant mockery of the judiciary. The members involved in decision making of remission represent no empathy for the victim and, in fact, covertly laud the atrocious act, given the date of their release—on the 75th anniversary of Independence Day. At its simplest, even approving the application of remission is deplorable.  

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