Gujarat: BJP MLA who called Bilkis Bano’s rapists ‘sanskari’ handed Godhra ticket

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Chandrasinh Raulji, who labelled Bilkis Bano’s rapists as sanskari was on Friday given a ticket to contest assembly elections from Godhra.

It is to be noted that Raulji is a six-time MLA from Godhra. The BJP leader was also part of the committee that decided to release the 11 convicts sentenced to life in the Bilkis Bano rape case. They were also charged with the murder of nine members of Bano’s family including her minor daughter during the Gujarat riots in 2002.

Defending the release of the convicts on Independence Day this year, Raulji said, “They were Brahmins and Brahmins are known to have good sanskaar. It might have been someone’s ill intention to corner and punish them.” The MLA further said that the convicts reflected “good conduct” during jail time. The accused were also booked for intimidating witnesses while they were out on parole.

One of the convicts of the Bilkis Bano Case Mitesh Chimanlal Bhatt was booked for outraging a woman’s modesty while out of parole in June 2020.

Following the massive outrage over the release of the rapists, the Gujarat government cited good behaviour and the Centre’s approval for the same. In its statement to the court, the Gujarat government said that the Centre ignored major issues while fast-tracking the release.

Raulji quit Congress to join the BJP in 2017 and won the Godhra seat defeating the Congress candidate.