Remission of rape convicts: TMC women's wing starts 48-hr dharna

KOLKATA: The Trinamool Congress women's wing on Tuesday launched a 48-hour dharna in the city in protest against the release of 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano gang rape case, calling it 'shameful and unacceptable.' They are also protesting against the Centre's bias to deploy central agencies to scare opposition leaders and atrocities against women among several issues.

Chandrima Bhattacharya, president Trinamool Mahila Congress, Shashi Panja, Mala Roy, and Krishna Chakraborty were present at the dharma. Trinamool chairperson Mamata Banerjee had announced about the programme from the dias of the meeting of Trinamool Chhatra Parishad on August 29.

The protesting leaders condemned the Centre for its alleged lax attitude in dealing with the safety and security of women, including the recent rape of a woman by Border Security Force personnel at Bagda in North 24-Parganas district. "The law of the country says that when remission is considered for any prisoner those punished for rape and trafficking are not to be considered. We cannot understand how the convicts in the Bilkis Bano case were released. It is shameful and unacceptable," senior TMC leader Shashi Panja said.

All the 11 convicts sentenced to life imprisonment for the 2002 post-Godhra Bilkis Bano gang rape and murder of seven members of her family walked out of Godhra sub-jail last month after the Gujarat government allowed their release under its remission policy.

Slamming the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Gujarat for not taking any action to put the 11 men back in jail, Panja said, "The women of the country feel unsafe and humiliated by their action". Referring to the National Crime Records Bureau data, she said New Delhi, whose law and order is under the jurisdiction of the Union Home ministry, is one of the most unsafe cities in the country for women. "It is important to note that Delhi Police is under the Union Home Ministry, which has not said a word on the NCRB report," she said.

Chandrima Bhattacharya lashed out at the Centre over the Bagda rape. "The BSF, which is supposed to guard the country's borders, are committing heinous crimes. Will the Union Home minister seek a report on the incident and punish the BSF personnel accused of raping the woman? Why is he silent on the issue?" she said. Two BSF personnel were arrested on the charge of raping a woman in August.

The release of the convicted in the Bilkis Bano incident and rape of a woman by BSF personnel reflects the "hypocrisy" of the BJP government at the Centre which speaks about 'nari shakti' and women empowerment, Bhattacharya said. Chandrima Bhattacharyasaid it was shocking that the accused in the Bilkis Bano case had been released to celebrate the country's 75 years of Independence. "This has not happened anywhere in the world. It is shameful that some BJP leaders had congratulated the accused who were given public reception," she said.

Mamata Banerjee had said the Centre had asked all the states to release the convicts to celebrate 75 years of Indian Independence. "We had also received letters from the Centre, but never thought that the accused in connection with rape would be released," she had said while addressing the TMCP rally on August 29.

Bhattacharya said, unable to face Trinamool politically, the Centre had deployed the agencies in biased ways.

"ED and CBI officials were nowhere to be found when huge money was spent to buy the MLAs in Maharashtra to topple the government. The cattle are smuggled through the border and what the BSF personnel are doing to address the issue. People are watching everything and their views will be reflected on the ballot,"

she maintained.