The Gujarat government has asked for the death penalty to be restored on 11 Godhra convicts who were sentenced to life imprisonment for setting the coach of the Sabarmati Express on fire killing the passengers in 2002 which set off the Gujarat riots.
This is completely irresponsible considering that the case was closed after sentencing and there is no need of the Gujarat government, technically the prosecuting authority, to ask for a change in the sentence.
In contrast the same Gujarat government sometime back released the rapists, coincidentally again 11 in number, in the rape case of Bilkis Bano of the same time in 2002 on counts of good behaviour before completing their life sentence.
In fact, these rapists were garlanded upon release from prison and were feted by the local BJP leadership. This kind of biased communal action by the government will lead to serious doubts about the intentions of the present dispensation to support certain communities by design and condone their heinous criminal actions leading to anarchy in the country.
