By Neelam Rahim

There are developments regarding the release of the 11 men linked to the Gujrat riots around 2002. It goes back almost twenty years.

Speaking to Radio Islam International, Founder and Editor Chief at the Cognate, Shaikh Zakeer Hussain, said the Gujrat genocide and killings took place in 2002 when Muslims were targeted in the state of Gujrat in India.

According to Shaikh Zakeer, an estimate says that close to two thousand people were killed in this programme. Many women were raped and gang-raped and one of the women who was gang raped at the time was a 19-year-old girl called Bilkis Bano. She was a married woman with a three-year-old girl who was also pregnant when she was raped.

He says the Gujrat pilgrim was one of the worst killings in independent India. Most of the people part of these killings today live scot-free, including the 11 men who were convicted of raping Bilkis Bano.

He added that this shows the absolute mockery of the law in India today.

In terms of these men being now released has nothing to do with good behaviour. Shaikh Zakeer said the Gujrat government have a remission policy under which they grant leniency and let off people convicted of crimes. Under this policy, the Gujrat government has released 11 convicts despite being found guilty multiple times.

“In 2008, they had sentenced these 11 accused to life imprisonment and murder. It’s not just gang rape but also the murder of seven members of Bilkis Bani’s family.”

It was convicted of rape as well as murder, one of the most heinous crimes that took place in the history of India. The government has done such an act, and it has not been the first time in Gujrat the case. There have been multiple past incidents where people convicted of carrying out killings have been let go free.

“This is a precedent set by the Gujrat government to let off people who have murdered Muslims.”

Listen to the full interview on Radio Islam’s podcast below.