New criminal laws aim at justice, not punishment; Indian in soul, body, spirit: Amit Shah
Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Bill replacing the Indian Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code and the Evidence Act on Thursday with Rajya Sabha giving its assent to the three Bills passed earlier by the Lok Sabha. Piloting the Bills, Home Minister Amit Shah said the new laws will give priority to providing justice in place of the earlier British laws that gave primacy to penal action and were purely indigenous.
“These three Bills are made by Indians, for Indians and by an Indian Parliament….
They give primacy to providing justice in place of punishment,” Shah said, underlining that a new era in the criminal justice system will dawn after the passage of these legislations. The three Bills were passed unanimously as the Opposition had walked out of the House in protest against Shah’s refusal to give a statement on the security breach in Parliament.
All the speakers on the Bill were from the BJP and NDA friendly parties.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine die after the passage of the three Bills. A total of 17 Bills were passed by the Upper House during the winter session that concluded a day before schedule.
Replying to the debate on the Bill, Shah said it marks the end of colonial criminal justice laws in India.
“We have been discussing, debating, deliberating on these Bills since September 2019. These Bills are not just about changing the nomenclature but will bring about a complete overhaul of the prevailing laws,” he said, adding that the Indian Penal Code, CrPC and Evidence Act were aimed at protecting British rule and were not focused on the Indians.
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