Condemn release of life prisoners in Bilkis Bano case in Gujarat riots!
Oppose saffronisation of government machinery!
The CPI (Maoist) Central Committee has condemned the Gujarat government’s release of the convicts who raped Bilkis Bano and killed 14 people in the 2002 Gujarat riots. We appeal to all democrats, progressive forces, patriots and people of the country to strongly condemn this. We urge you not to raise your voice against the saffronization of the government machinery which is worsening the situation of basic rights of the citizens.
On 15 August 2022, the state government of Gujarat released life prisoners in the 2002 Gujarat riots case of Bilkis Bano rape. 14 members of her family were murdered before her eyes, of which 6 bodies were never found. She filed a petition in the court for justice. The convicts were sentenced to life imprisonment by a special CBI court in 2008. The government appointed a committee to release them. Action was taken on the recommendation of the committee to provide relief to the convicts.
The situation of minorities, oppressed peoples and communities is similar to what Bilkis Bano said. Bilkis Bano said, “The release of these convicts has taken away my peace and my faith in justice.” These convicts were none other than RSS-VHP-Bajrang Dal members, who were released because they were part of these Hindutva organizations favored by Modishah. The statements of Ramesh Chandana, one of the released prisoners, clearly show how the government manipulates the judiciary. It reveals the evils of the fascists in the country under the Brahminical Hindutva fascist BJP rule which is Gujarat as a model.
Journalist Rana Ayyub, who conducted a sting operation on the riots and wrote a book called “Gujarat Files’”, is being harassed by the judiciary in a money laundering case. Gujarat-based police officers Sreekumar, Bhatt and social activist Teesta Seetalwad, who stood up for Muslim minorities in the riots, were arrested again on the same day as the verdict in the riots-related Jaffrey case. Mumbai-based film producer Avinash Das has been arrested and booked for sharing a photo of Union Home Minister Amit Shah with arrested IAS officer Pooja Singhal. It is clear that it is misusing the government machinery to stamp out any dissent on the fascist Narendra Modi-Amit Shah regime and to come back to power in the next general elections.
These developments point to the stark reality that saffronisation is spreading across all sectors. Our Central Committee appeals to all oppressed people of the country, revolutionary, democratic and human rights organizations to oppose this dangerous trend and intensify their efforts to save the country.
Abhay,
Representative,
Central Committee,
CPI (Maoist)
20.08.2022