Nirbhaya's mother hits out at Indira Jaising after advocate urges her to forgive rape convicts

Nirbhaya's mother, Asha Devi, on Saturday lashed out at senior lawyer Indira Jaising after the advocate, earlier in the day, had urged her to "follow Sonia Gandhi's example" and forgive the convicts.

"Who is Indira Jaising to give me such a suggestion?" Asha Devi said, "I cannot even believe how Indira Jaising even dared to suggest something such as this to me."

Recounting her encounters with the senior advocate, Nirbhaya's mother said, "I met her many times over the years in the Supreme Court and not once she had asked for my wellbeing."

Asha Devi lamented the fact that some people like Jaising earn their livelihoods by supporting criminals. "Such people earn their livelihoods by supporting rapists, hence rape incidents do not stop," she said, adding, "The whole country wants the convicts to be executed. Just because of people like her, justice is not done with rape victims."

Earlier in the day, senior advocate Indira Jaising had urged the mother of Nirbhaya to pardon the men on death row who were convicted for the 2012 gang-rape of her daughter. The advocate added that she supports the victim's family but was against the death penalty.