NEW DELHI: Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal has strongly opposed granting of parole and remission to rape convicts. She has sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking stronger laws and policies for this. Maliwal also demanded that convicts in Bilkis Bano rape case who were released from jail and Gurmeet Ram Rahim who got parole should be sent back to jail.

Bilkis Bano, who was five-months pregnant, was gang-raped by 11 men on August 15, 2002 during the Gujarat riots. Her three-year-old daughter’s head was smashed with a stone. The gang, who were sentenced to double life imprisonment and murder were released from Gujarat's Godhra jail after 14 years due to ‘good conduct’.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is serving a 20-year jail term for raping two female disciples at his ashram. He is now out on parole for 40 days. He is also accused in the murder of a journalist in 2019.

The verdict was condemned by opposition parties, political observers and media persons.

बिलक़िस बानो के बलात्कारियों और राम रहीम का आज़ाद घूमना देश की हर निर्भया के हौसले पर चोट है…! माननीय प्रधानमंत्री जी से अपील है की क़ानून सख़्त करें और इन रेपिस्ट को जेल पहुँचाएँ! pic.twitter.com/Q8ygiTxzQ0

— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) October 29, 2022