Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the release of the convicts in the Bilkis Bano case and said the entire country is seeing the difference between his words and deeds.

He asked what message is being sent out to the women of the country through such decisions.

The BJP government in Gujarat released all the 11 people convicted for the rape of a pregnant Bilkis Bano and murder of seven of her family members during the 2002 Gujarat riots, under its remission policy.

"Those who raped a five-month pregnant woman and killed her three-year-old daughter were released during 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav'. What message is being given to the women of the country by those who peddle lies about 'Nari Shakti'?"

"Prime Minister ji, the entire country is seeing the difference between your words and deeds," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

As India celebrated 75th Independence day on August 15, all the 11 convicts sentenced to life imprisonment in the Bilkis Bano gang rape and massacre that occurred during the 2002 riots walked out of Godhra sub-jail, after the Gujarat government freed them under its remission policy

The convicts in the Bilkis Bano case were welcomed with sweets and garlands after they stepped out of the Godhra sub-jail in Gujarat after 15 years.

One of the convicts, who have all spent more than 15 years in jail, had approached the Supreme Court with a plea for release.

The apex court directed the Gujarat government to look into possible remission of his sentence. Following this, the state government formed a committee, said Panchmahals collector Sujal Mayatra, who headed the panel.

A mob had attacked Bilkis Bano’s family at Randhikpur village in Dahod district on March 3, 2002.

Bilkis, who was five months pregnant at the time, was gang-raped. While seven members of her family were killed, six others managed to run away, the court was told. The accused were arrested in 2004.