Gujarat government refused to help Bilkis Bano, her husband Yakoob Rasool has alleged
Hours after the Supreme Court ordered the Gujarat government to give 2002 riots gang-rape survivor Bilkis Bano a compensation of Rs 50 lakh within two weeks, her husband said the state government "did not provide any assistance" to them all these years.
Bilkis Bano suffered for 17 years, but the Gujarat government refused to help her despite being ordered to do so by the top court, her husband Yakoob Rasool told PTI over phone from Dahod on Monday.
"The Supreme Court on April 13 told the state government to give her compensation within 15 days. It has been over five months now, but the government did not contact us even once, let alone follow the court order," he said.
Mr Rasool said his family sent two notices to the Vijay Rupani-led state government, reminding of the top court order, but the government did not reply, after which they approached the Supreme Court again.
"Let us see what the state government does now. It has to comply within 15 days or it will amount to contempt of court. All we know is that Bilkis suffered a lot in last 17 years, but never gave up the fight," he said.
She lost her family in the post-Godhra riots but still managed to raise her children, despite the state government not helping her in any way, Mr Rasool said.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on Monday told the Gujarat government as to why it has not given compensation, job and accommodation to Bilkis Bano despite the top court's order on April 23.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state, told the bench that the compensation of Rs 50 lakh was not provided in the "victim compensation scheme" of Gujarat and they would also file a plea seeking review of the top court's order in April.
Later, Mr Mehta gave an undertaking in the court that the compensation, job and accommodation would be given to her within two weeks.
On March 3, 2002, Bilkis Bano and her family were attacked by a mob at Randhikpur village near Ahmedabad during the post-Godhra riots. Bilkis Bano, who was five-month pregnant at the time, was gang-raped and seven members of her family were killed.