Gurugram residents voice concerns for Bilkis Bano, stage protest march

Around 100 people from different walks of life held a protest against the remission of sentence given to the convicts in the Bilkis Bano case by the Gujarat government at the Leisure Valley parking lot at Sector 29 on Sunday

Published on: Aug 29, 2022, 00:04:18 IST

By Leena Dhankhar

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Around 100 people from different walks of life held a protest against the remission of sentence given to the convicts in the Bilkis Bano case by the Gujarat government at the Leisure Valley parking lot at Sector 29 on Sunday.

Gurugram, India - August 28: Residents of Gurugram held a protest against the Gujarat government’s decision to release all 11 men convicted of rape and murder in the Bilkis Bano case at Leisure Valley Park, Sector 29, in Gurugram, India, on Sunday, August 28, 2022. (Photo by Parveen Kumar/Hindustan Times) **To go with Leena Dhankar's story**

Carrying posters and placards and raising slogans, residents expressed their anguish and said that on the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked Indians to respect women, 11 rapists were not only released from jail, but were garlanded and welcomed like heroes.

Dr Parul Sharma, who took part in the protest, said that every Indian woman deserves justice irrespective of her caste, religion or social status. “We want fast track courts for rape trials, an easier way for reporting rape and providing mental, physical and financial aid and rehabilitation to rape victims,” she said.

Dr Sarika Verma, another protestor, said that the criminals who have committed such heinous and hate crimes do not deserve to be released. “This sets a very scary precedent for the future,” she said.

The protesters said that they plan to take the campaign forward through social media and e-mails to the Supreme Court. A signed petition of the protesters will be submitted to the Gurugram deputy commissioner, President of India and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), they said.

Usha Saroha, another resident who took part in the protest, said that the kind of behaviour meted out to the rape convicts sends a signal to society that if you are from a certain political party or religion you can do any crime and get away with it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More