Death penalty for mob lynching under new criminal law
While replying to the debate in the Lok Sabha on the three criminal code bills, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that under the new criminal laws, the government has included a provision for the death penalty for those committing the crime of mob lynching.
The Lok Sabha passed the three criminal laws — the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill — on Wednesday.
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita will replace the Indian Penal Code-1860, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita will replace the CrPC of 1973 and the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill will replace the Indian Evidence Act of 1872.
While announcing the punishment for mob lynching in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Amit Shah questioned the previous Congress government. “You have also ruled this country for 58 years, so why didn’t you include mob lynching in the laws? You used the word mob lynching to abuse us (BJP), but then you forgot about it once you came into power.”
Shah hit out at the Congress party and responded to a question once asked by former finance minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram. “Once I was listening to Chidambaram’s speech. He had said it’s a test for the home minister that if he will bring a new law, then what will he do with (the issue) of mob lynching?”
Responding to this, Amit Shah said in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday that Chidambaram has neither understood the BJP nor its principles. “Our party has only one ideology and that is the development of the nation,” Amit Shah said.
Amit Shah went on to take potshots at the Congress saying, “The citizens know about your behaviour and that’s why you are sitting in the Opposition, and now even outside Parliament.” He said the party has “double standards” and that’s why it is facing so many problems.
Continuing with his attack on the Opposition, Amit Shah took a dig at “those who said the BJP doesn’t understand”. He said, “I told them if one’s heart is Indian, you will understand the laws. If it is Italian, you won’t.”
The Union home minister’s statement came as 143 MPs have been suspended from Parliament since last week. As many as 97 MPs were suspended from the Lok Sabha and 46 MPs from the Rajya Sabha for their “misconduct”. During the ongoing Winter Session, the Opposition protested in both Houses, demanding a statement from the Union Home Minister over the Parliament security breach incident.
Livemint
