C K Raulji was one of the members of the Gujarat government panel that decided to release the 11 convicts.
New Delhi: Amid nationwide anger over the release of the 11 convicts of the Bilkis Bano rape case, for a BJP MLA, their caste is above anything else. Blinded by the social ill of caste hierarchy, the MLA, in a viral video, was heard saying the rapists are Brahmins and “have good sanskaar”.
C K Raulji was one of the members of the Gujarat government panel that decided to release the convicts and on Independence Day, all the 11 walked out of the jail and videos showed their family members greeting them with garlands and sweets. The decision to release the convicts was taken after one of them approached the Supreme Court seeking remission and the Gujarat government was asked to take a call.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:
In the video shot by Mojo Story, Raulji is heard saying, “They were Brahmins and Brahmins are known to have good sanskaar. It might have been someone’s ill intention to corner and punish them.”
“I don’t know whether they committed any crime or not. But there has to be intention of committing crime,” he added.
Faced with criticism, the BJP-led Gujarat government defended the decision and said it had considered the release plea as per a 1992 policy, as directed by the Supreme Court, because that was in effect at the time of the conviction in 2008.
In June, the Centre had proposed to release convicted prisoners to mark the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav but rape convicts were not listed among those who could be released. However, the Gujarat government followed its own policy as per Supreme Court directions and released the convicts. The apex court had asked the state government to consider a remission plea by one of the convicts.
