Bilkis Bano: horrified on 11 rapists' release, laments Shabana Azmi
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New Delhi: Renowned actor Shabana Azmi said that she was horrified at the sheer injustice served to Bilkis Bano and added that she was stunned by the society's silence after the convicts in the case were freed by the Gujarat government, 15 years after they were jailed. On Thursday, Azmin broke down, expressing her shame and horror at the turn of events regarding the Bilkis Bano case, NDTV reported.
In an interview with NDTV, Azmi said that she has no words for Bilkis Bano but is deeply ashamed.
Gujarat government set the 11 rapists free on special remission on August 5 this year, when India celebrated five years of Independence. They were greeted with sweets and garlands.
Azmi said that even after her huge tragedy, Bilkis kept her courage, fought and got the 11 convicted. But when she was about her life together, "this great travesty of justice happens," NDTV quotes.
"Should we not fight for her? Shouldn't we be shouting from the rooftops so that justice is done to this person? And the women who are feeling unsafe in this country, women who face the threat of rape everyday – shouldn't they get some sense of security? What do I answer my children, my grandchildren? What can I say to Bilkis? I am ashamed," Azmi asks.
She continued that after the release of the eleven, she waited for some days some days, but there was no uproar from the public because "there was such little visibility in the media." Many are not even aware that the convicts were released, she said.
She asked what signal the society and the women were being given by the release of those convicts. "We have a government that professes Nari Shakti on the very same day. And we are helplessly sitting around…." Azmi lamented.
When the Centre claimed that it had no role in the convict's release, Azmi asked why the Gujarat government made such a step without the Centre's nod. She asked why the National Commission for Women, National Human Rights Commission, women in the BJP etc., are keeping silent.
She wondered if no one is speaking for Bilkis while the whole country had churned on the Nirbhaya case. She said that most debates about the matter stopped at being a Hindu-Muslim row.
She alleged that there must be some conspiracy to use the moment and create communal tension and division, eying upcoming elections in Gujarat. She said that she couldn't imagine the justification that the convicts were "Brahmins" and from "Good families".
