We have hopes from Constitution: Priyanka, Rahul after SC verdict in Bilkis Bano case

The tweets demanding justice for Bilkis Bano posted by Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi came after the Supreme Court sought responses from the Centre and the Gujarat government on a plea challenging the remission granted to 11 life convicts in the Bilkis Bano case.

New Delhi: Hours after the Supreme Court sought responses from the Gujarat government on a plea challenging remission of Bilkis Bano's rape convicts, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took to Twitter to take a flay at the central government for keeping silent on the matter, while parallelly expressing hope in the power of the Indian Constitution and the judiciary.

"The central government has set the bar low by keeping silent on the release of 11 rape convicts and their felicitation on camera. But the women of the country have hope from the Constitution. The Constitution has the power to impart courage to even the last woman standing up to fight for justice," Priyanka Gandhi's tweet in Hindi posted Thursday morning reads.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi too demanded 'justice for Bilkis Bano' through a tweet wherein he criticized the BJP government's approach with its 'Beti Bachao' initiative, thereby calling out the hypocrisy behind it. "Those giving hollow slogans like 'Beti Bachao' are saving rapists. Today the question is about the respect and entitlement of the women of the country. Give justice to Bilkis Bano," reads Rahul Gandhi's post on Twitter.

The tweets came after the Supreme Court earlier in the day sought responses from the Centre and the Gujarat government on a plea challenging the remission granted to 11 life convicts in the Bilkis Bano case. A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana ordered the petitioners to implead those who have been granted remission as parties in the matter and posted the matter for hearing two weeks later.

The remission and consequent release of 11 rape convicts in the Bilkis Bano case on August 15 sparked a debate across the country. CPI(M) leader Subhashini Ali, journalist Revathy Laul and activist Roop Rekha Rani had filed a plea in the apex court challenging the remission. The convicts, who had gang-raped 21 years old and five months pregnant Bilkis Bano and then killed her family members during the Godhra riots incident in 2002, were freed citing they have completed more than 15 years in jail.