Bilkis Bano case: Cong continues to target Modi, questions AAP’s silence

Congress on Wednesday increased the decibel levels on its opposition over the release of convicts in the Bilkis Bano case by bringing Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the firing line, again asking whether he had sanctioned the Gujarat government's decision and targeting AAP for its “silence” on the issue as it is active in the poll-bound state.

The party asked Modi as well as Home Minister Amit Shah whether they gave the green signal for the Gujarat government’s decision to free 11 rape and murder convicts on Independence Day, as the Union government’s concurrence was mandatory in the case that was investigated by a central agency, in this case the CBI.

Congress also found fault with a section of the Opposition for their “silence” and asked why a party which used the Nirbhaya gang-rape case for its political entry and promised of a different kind of politics, not coming out against the state's decision.

Also read: Bilkis Bano case convicts released on policy govt told HC to have ceased in 2014

Party Media Department Chairman Pawan Khera did not name AAP but claimed what he said was “not just a hint…Why parties that entered politics making 'Nirbhaya' the base are silent today? Do they only exist to garner votes”. AAP has entered the electoral battlefield in Gujarat seeking to replace Congress as BJP’s main opponent.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi led the attack against Modi from the front by tweeting that those who raped a five-month pregnant woman and killed her three-year-old daughter were released during the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’.

“What message is being delivered to women by those who are lying about women power? Prime Minister, the whole country sees the difference between your words and deeds,” he tweeted in apparent reference to Modi’s Independence Day speech during which he spoke about fighting misogyny, respecting women and empowering women.

Referring to the welcome accorded to the released convicts, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi said, "Respect for women only in speeches? Women are asking.”

In a tweet, Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said, "Brazenly shameless. Do you really think the Gujarat government did the early release without knowledge and approval of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister?"

Congress sustained the attack throughout the day and conducted a press conference during which Khera said, "We demand an answer from Modi and Shah on whether the Gujarat government had sought the Centre's concurrence before giving remission to the convicts in Bilkis Bano rape case as is the law."

If the Gujarat government had taken the Centre's concurrence, Khera said, Modi's words would ring hollow. "If they have not taken your concurrence, what action will you take against the BJP government of Gujarat? We also want to know from Gujarat who were the members of the jail advisory panel who recommended remission," he said.

Questioning the "silence" among some Opposition parties, Khera also said, "Why are we silent as a society? We also want to ask why the media is silent, the same media that in one voice sought strong laws after the rape of Nirbhaya. If we do not ask these questions now, our society will stink and the world will feel the stench. If we do not ask these questions today there will be no tomorrow for this country."