The long fight: Bilkis Bano gets a measure of compensation
What happened to Bilkis Bano in Gujarat
in March 2002 was horrific. Her story since then has been difficult but
heroic, her triumphs inspirational. Against high odds, including
illiteracy and state hostility, she won the convictions of men who had
gang-raped her and murdered her family as well as of those who tried to
bury her case illegally. Further, this Tuesday the Supreme Court granted
her one of the largest compensations to a victim of sexual assault and
rape in India, Rs 50 lakh.
This is of course in sharp contrast to the Rs 5 lakh that had been offered to her by the Gujarat government. Compensating victims is an important component of criminal justice. As Bilkis said, what the apex court did was acknowledge the pain that she had endured for 17 years. It sent the clear signal that the state cannot be allowed to flagrantly violate a citizen’s rights but must protect them, which was important to her as she never lost faith in the Constitution and the justice system.
The daughter with whom Bilkis was pregnant when she was gang-raped, wants to be a lawyer. By word and example, her husband advises that men should stand by women. And this week, she also cast her vote for the first time since 2002. In her, the horrific Gujarat riots have forged an iron spirit that will inspire other embattled women to fight for justice, especially when it looks out of reach.
This is of course in sharp contrast to the Rs 5 lakh that had been offered to her by the Gujarat government. Compensating victims is an important component of criminal justice. As Bilkis said, what the apex court did was acknowledge the pain that she had endured for 17 years. It sent the clear signal that the state cannot be allowed to flagrantly violate a citizen’s rights but must protect them, which was important to her as she never lost faith in the Constitution and the justice system.
The daughter with whom Bilkis was pregnant when she was gang-raped, wants to be a lawyer. By word and example, her husband advises that men should stand by women. And this week, she also cast her vote for the first time since 2002. In her, the horrific Gujarat riots have forged an iron spirit that will inspire other embattled women to fight for justice, especially when it looks out of reach.
