Srinagar: during the Lok Sabha discussion, Union Home Minister Amit Shah affirmed that the three new criminal law bills include a provision for imposing the death penalty in cases of mob lynching.
The Lok Sabha successfully passed the three bills on Wednesday.
Based on an analysis by IndiaSpend, between 2010 and 2017, there were 66 incidents of cow-related violence, with 97 percent of these cases reported after 2014.
The year 2020 saw 23 incidents of mob lynching, a decrease from the 107 incidents reported in 2019, according to media reports. These 23 incidents resulted in the loss of 22 lives.
These instances of mob lynching show an upward trend annually, often targeting victims based on their religion, caste, or profession.
Shah also declared the intent to abolish the sedition law, referencing its historical usage by the British to detain Indian freedom fighters. He emphasized, “The sedition law, created by the British, led to the detention of Indian freedom fighters like Tilak Maharaj, Mahatma Gandhi, and Sardar Patel for years, and it persists to this day. For the first time, the Modi government has decided to completely abolish the sedition law,” addressing the Lok Sabha.
Underlining the transformative aspect of the proposed legislation, Shah clarified, “The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which will replace the Indian Penal Code, prioritizes justice over punishment.”
Initially introduced during the Monsoon Session, the bills — Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita Bill, 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, 2023 — were presented in amended versions by Shah during the Winter Session.
Shah highlighted key changes in the proposed laws, focusing on heightened police accountability. He mentioned, “Specifics regarding arrested individuals must now be recorded at every police station, and a designated police officer will be responsible for maintaining these records.” Additionally, he touched upon gender-neutral alterations in trafficking laws and the automatic application of POCSO equivalent provisions for the rape of a girl under 18 years of age.
