SC’s direction has reaffirmed my faith in judiciary: Bano

New Delhi: Bilkis Bano, who was gang-raped during the 2002 Gujarat riots Wednesday said the Supreme Court’s “exemplary” direction to the state government to provide Rs 50 lakh compensation has reaffirmed her faith in judiciary and will give hope to other victims of rape and communal violence.
Bano however lamented that her family did not get any support from the state government during their 17-year-long fight for justice.
The Supreme Court Tuesday directed the Gujarat government to give Rs 50 lakh compensation, a job and an accommodation to Bano. The top court also directed the state government to pay the compensation to Bano within two weeks. Seven of Bano’s family members were also killed during the riots.
“The Supreme Court’s direction to Gujarat government has reaffirmed by faith in judiciary and the Constitution,” she said.
Expressing gratitude to the judiciary for “acknowledging her suffering and struggle,” Bano said she will create a fund in the memory of her first child Saleha so that it can help other women survivors of communal violence in their journeys to justice. Saleha was brutally killed by a mob during the riots.
“The apex court understood my pain, my suffering and my struggle to regain the constitutional rights that were lost to me in the violence of 2002. (PTI)