Congress slams ‘bulldozer justice’ as new criminal laws take effect

A poster depicting the implementation of three new criminal laws being put by Delhi Police. Pic/PTI

With the three new criminal laws coming into effect, the Congress on Monday accused the government of getting them "forcibly" passed in Parliament after suspending 146 MPs and asserted that going forward, the INDIA bloc will not allow such "bulldozer justice" to prevail in the country's parliamentary system.

Three new criminal laws came into effect in the country on Monday, bringing far-reaching changes in India's criminal justice system.

Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress president

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) take into account some of the current social realities and modern-day crimes. The new laws replaced the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively.

In a post in Hindi on X, Kharge said, "After the political and moral shock in the elections, Modi ji and the BJP are pretending to respect the Constitution, but the truth is that the three laws of the criminal justice system which are being implemented from today, were passed forcibly after suspension of 146 MPs."

"INDIA will no longer allow this ‘bulldozer justice' to prevail in the parliamentary system," he asserted.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also took a swipe at the government after the first FIR was lodged under the new laws.

Congress leader P Chidambaram also slammed the government as the new criminal laws came into effect and said it was another case of "bulldozing" existing laws and replacing them with three new bills without adequate discussion and debate. In a post on X, Chidambaram said, "90-99 per cent of the so-called new laws are a cut, copy and paste job. A task that could have been completed with a few amendments to existing three laws has been turned into a wasteful exercise."

Street vendor is Delhi's 1st case under new code

Delhi Police filed its first FIR under provisions of a new criminal code against a street vendor, whose cart allegedly obstructed a public way. The FIR was registered under Section 285 of BNS which states, "Whoever, by doing any act, or by omitting to take order with any property in his possession or under his charge, causes danger, obstruction or injury to any person in any public way or public line of navigation, shall be punished with fine which may extend to Rs 5,000."

Amit Shah to Opposition: Meet me, don't do politics

Union Home Minister Amit Shah

As the new criminal laws came into force on Monday amid protests from members of opposition parties, Union Home Minister Amit Shah asked them to meet him to discuss their grievances and asserted that he is open to hearing their suggestions. "I am ready to meet anyone who wants. We will meet and also review. But please do not do politics," he said at a press conference, replying to questions about protests from opposition leaders. Shah rejected criticism that the three new criminal laws were draconian and repressive. He said the laws were modern, protect the rights of the victims, and fix accountability on police forces.

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