Mysore/Mysuru: Strongly condemning the Gujarat Government’s action of releasing all convicts in the Bilkis Bano rape and murder of her family members case that happened amid the 2002 Gujarat riots, social activists, led by actor Prakash Raj, under the banner of Karnataka Mahila Dourjanya Virodhi Okkoota, staged a demonstration in front of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar statue in Town Hall premises this morning.

Addressing the protesters, actor Prakash Raj said that all the 11 convicted men had been sentenced to life imprisonment by a Mumbai Court in 2008 for gang-raping Bilkis Bano and killing seven members of her family, including her three-year-old daughter during the 2002 Gujarat riots. But the BJP Government in Gujarat released all the convicts for showing ‘good conduct’, under an outdated remission policy, which is nothing but murder of justice, he said and urged the Gujarat Government to re-imprison all the convicts and make them to serve life-sentence.

Accusing the Gujarat BJP Government of helping the convicts by deciding to release them for their ‘good conduct’ after an unanimous recommendation from a panel that included many members with link to the State’s ruling BJP, Prakash Raj warned of a massive movement against the Centre if the remission of life convicts is not taken back. He also wanted the people to throw out the ruling dispensation at the Centre and to bring about a pro-people Government, which is responsive and answerable.

Senior theatre personality Rameshwari Verma, District Congress President Dr. B.J. Vijaykumar, AAP leader Malavika Gubbivani, Prof. Indira, journalist K. Deepak, activists P. Mallesh, Rathirao, H. Janardhan (Janni), Umadevi, Shivaram, Suhail Baig, Kallalli Kumar, Basavalingaiah, Rajendra, Nataraj Shivanna and others took part.