India’s Supreme Court has overturned the remission granted to 11 Hindu men convicted for the gang rape of Bilkis Bano and murder of seven of her relatives, including her three-year-old daughter, during anti-Muslim riots in Gujarat in 2002.

The court directed the men to surrender to Gujarat prison authorities within two weeks and rejected their plea for protection, stating it would not be in line with the rule of law, according to a lawyer in the case.

- The crime -

Bano, who was five months pregnant at the time, was gang-raped during the violence that resulted in nearly 2,000 deaths, mostly Muslims.

Her three-year-old daughter was murdered by having her head smashed to the ground in the 2002 riots which lasted for weeks.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was Gujarat’s chief minister at the time, was accused of ordering the state authorities to allow the bloodshed. However, he consistently denied any involvement in the violence, and the Supreme Court maintained that there was no evidence to bring charges against him.

- The release -

The individuals initially sentenced to life imprisonment in 2008 were released by the Gujarat government in August 2022. The decision followed a recommendation from the prison where they were held, taking into account the time served and their good behavior.

A video that went viral at the time captured the scene of the men's release, showing their relatives and supporters welcoming them with sweets and garlands.

However, this release faced widespread condemnation, particularly as it coincided with India's Independence Day celebrations, during which Prime Minister Modi spoke about women's safety and security.

Notably, Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) still holds power in the state. Opposition parties criticized the BJP's "callous disregard for women," with spokesperson Pawan Khera expressing his disapproval on Twitter.

He stated, "It is a slap on the face of those who facilitated the illegal release of these criminals and also those who garlanded the convicts and fed sweets to them."

Additionally, minority rights activist Kaleem Siddiqui alleged the men were released by the BJP government for political gain.

The court held that Gujarat did not have the authority to reduce the men's sentences, asserting the rule of law as a central pillar of Indian democracy.