Nirbhaya’s mother Asha Devi upset with lawyer Indira Jaising for requesting her to “forgive” the death row convicts

Asha Devi, mother of the 23-year-old who was gangraped and killed in Delhi in 2012 hit out at senior lawyer Indira Jaising for requesting her to “forgive” the convicts and stop the execution. A death warrant was issued for the four convicts in the case on Friday, which fixed the time of execution on February 1 at 6 am.

Earlier this week, 16 organisations and more than 350 persons working for women’s rights urged President Ram Nath Kovind to stop the execution saying punishment was “not a deterrent against crimes”. They said that there was “no shortcut to justice and safety” and pointed out the need to focus on long term social change. It was also the failure of authorities to ensure security to women that is required, they said.

“Can’t believe how Indira Jaising even dared to suggest this,” Asha Devi said. “I met her many times over the years in Supreme Court, not once did she ask for my well-being… and now she is speaking for the convicts. Such people make a living by supporting rapists, hence rape incidents don’t stop,” she told news agency.

“Who is Indira Jaising to give me such a suggestion? The whole country wants the convicts to be hanged,” Asha Devi said. Indira Jaising, apart from being one of the signatories to write the letter to the President, also requested Asha Devi to follow the example of Congress president Sonia Gandhi who had moved for the pardon of Nalini Murugan, who was convicted for the assassination of her husband, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. “We are with you, but against death penalty,” Indira Jaising had tweeted.

In the letter to the President, the signatories have written: “We understand the inexorable pain of the parents and other loved ones of women and children who are raped and, in many cases, killed… However, efforts by politicians and parties, courts and other vested interests to capitalise on their pain and make the case a matter of the nation’s honour give false hope that the harshest punishment of death will prevent all such cases in the future.” Among others, it was signed by lawyer Indira Jaising, scholar Nivedita Menon, filmmaker Anand Patwardhan and historian Uma Chakravarti. Among the reasons cited was that punishment was “not a deterrent against crimes” adding studies from across the world. It was also said that there was “no shortcut to justice and safety” and need to focus on long term social change. It was also the failure of authorities to ensure security to women that is required.

Six persons were arrested and charged with rape and murder of a 23-year-old medical student in Delhi in 2012, which came to be known as the Nirbhaya case. One of the accused was a minor and was tried in the juvenile justice court. Another accused – Ram Singh – had allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail. The four convicts on death row are Pawan Gupta, Mukesh Singh, Akshay Singh and Vinay Sharma.

The Supreme Court has earlier dismissed the curative petitions of two of the convicts after a Delhi court on January 7 issued the death warrant against the four. Later, Mukesh Singh, appealed to the President against the death sentence, but it was turned down on Friday. The same day, a new death warrant was issued, and the execution has been fixed at February 1 at 6 am.