Mamata Banerjee assails Centre's Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, urges serious study of draft

CM Banerjee further urged jurists and public activists to study these drafts "seriously" for democratic contributions pertaining to the criminal justice system.

"Have been reading the drafts prepared by the Union Home Ministry to substitute the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and Indian Evidence Act. Stunned to find that there is a serious attempt to quietly introduce very harsh and draconian anti-citizen provisions in these efforts," Mamata Banerjee said in a post on X.

Her post further stated, "Earlier there was Sedition Law; now, in the name of withdrawing those provisions, they are introducing more severe and arbitrary measures in the proposed Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which can affect citizens more gravely."

Mamata Banerjee asserted that her colleagues will raise the issue in the Parliament during deliberation of the Bill adding that colonial authoritarianism should not be allowed to have "backdoor entry" at Delhi.

"The current Acts should be decolonized not only in form but also in spirit. Urge the jurists and public activists of the country to study these drafts seriously for democratic contributions in the realm of the criminal justice system," she said.

CM Banerjee further said, "My colleagues in the Parliament will raise these issues at the Standing Committee when these will be deliberated. Laws need to be improved in light of experiences, but colonial authoritarianism should not be allowed to have backdoor entry at Delhi."

The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill 2023 were introduced in the Lower House of Parliament on August 11.

These bills seek to replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC) 1860, Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 respectively.

While introducing the bills, Home Minister Amit Shah said the soul of these three new laws will be to protect all the rights given by the Constitution to the citizens.

Shah said that 18 states, six Union Territories, a Supreme Court, 16 High Courts, five judicial academies, 22 Law Universities, 142 Members of Parliament, about 270 MLAs and people gave their suggestions regarding these new laws and that for four years these were discussed in depth and he himself was present in 158 meetings.

The Home Minister said that the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, which will replace the IPC, will have 356 sections instead of the earlier 511 sections, the minister said, adding that 175 sections have been amended, 8 new sections have been added and 22 sections have been repealed. (ANI)