Two weeks, ago, on January 8, the Supreme Court of India delivered a landmark ruling in the harrowing case of Bilkis Bano. The ruling quashed the remission granted by the Gujarat government to the 11 people convicted in the case, on the basis that the State government had “no jurisdiction” to have done so. In keeping with the deadline imposed by the Court, all 11 convicts surrendered on the night of January 21 at Godhra sub-jail.
The convicts in question were part of a Hindu mob implicated in the gangrape of Ms. Bano, who was pregnant at that time, coupled with the brutal killing of several of her relatives, including her infant daughter, during the 2002 Gujarat riots. What made the experience worse for Ms. Bano was that she knew the convicts — they had been her neighbours.
For years, her case has been a symbol of resilience and an emblem of the larger struggle for justice for survivors of sexual violence and communal violence. The Supreme Court’s decision to quash the remission not only upholds the integrity of the legal process but also underscores the need for a consistent, impartial application of the law, regardless of the socio-political context. The applause the verdict has received is a testament to the collective yearning for a justice system that stands unwavering against impunity.
