'End To Tareekh Pe Tareekh Era': Amit Shah on Criminal law Bills passed in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi, Dec 22 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah while discussing the new Criminal law Bills in the Rajya Sabha said that the implementation of these three new Criminal laws will ensure an end to the "Tareekh Pe Tareekh Era" and justice will be delivered in three years. 

The Rajya Sabha has passed three crucial Bills -- Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, and Bharatiya Saksha (Second) Bill -- that will replace a raft of British-era laws after a day-long discussion in the Upper House.

On Thursday, this Bill was presented before the Rajya Sabha by the Union Home Minister, which was passed by a voice vote.

On the implementation of a new Criminal law, Section 375 and Section 376 will be replaced by Section 63 which amounts to rape. Gang rape will be dealt under Section 70, and Section 101 will be applied for murder instead of Section 302. These three Criminal law bills have already been passed by the Lok Sabha. Now, these bills will become law after approval by President Draupadi Murmu. After the passing of these Bills, Rajya Sabha was also adjourned indefinitely.

During the discussion on the Bills, Amit Shah said in the Rajya Sabha, "The purpose of the bill that I have brought in the Rajya Sabha today is not to punish, but to give justice. The soul of these bills is Indian. Vyasa, Brihaspati, Katyayana, Chanakya, Vatsysayana, Devnath Thakur, Jayanta Bhatta, Raghunatha Shiromani and the theory of justice given by several other people has been conceptualised in this Bill."

The Union Home Minister added: "Ninety-seven per cent of the police stations in the country have been digitalised and records of 82 per cent police stations have become digital. The entire process from FIR to judgment will be online. There will be zero FIRs and only e-FIRs. All CCTV cameras across the country, wherever they are installed, will be integrated with the system."

Shah said: "'Swaraj' means taking forward one's own religion, one who takes forward one's own language. The one who advances self-culture is 'Swaraj'. One who establishes self-rule is called 'Swaraj'. Referring to Mahatma Gandhi, the Union Home Minister added that Gandhiji did not fight for regime change but he fought for 'Swaraj' (self-independence)."

"I assure this House that after the implementation of this Criminal law, the era of "Tareekh par Tareekh will end". Such a justice system will be established in this country where any victim gets justice within three years," he added.

He said that from all the technology present today to that of the next 100 years, all can be incorporated only by changing the rules, so much foresight has been kept in this Bill.

Despite facing the brunt of terrorism for four decades, there was no definition of terrorism in the country's criminal justice system, now the definition of terrorism has been included in it, Shah added.

"The English concept of treason law has been abolished. Anyone can speak against the government, but can no longer speak against the country. There is a provision for punishment for speaking or taking action against the country."

He added: "With the implementation of the new law, justice will be provided quickly. Justice will not be costly for the poor man. Nine new sections and 39 new sub-sections have been added to the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 44 new interpretations and explanations have been added. As many as 14 sections have been repealed. As many as 21 new crimes have been added to the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, in which one new crime is that of mob lynching."

Shah said, "The opposition used to accuse us (BJP government) that you protect mob lynching. You never made a law, but we made a law. There can be no bigger crime than murder. The punishment has been increased in 41 crimes. Penalty has been increased in 82 crimes. Minimum punishment has been introduced in 25 crimes."

"Community service has been accepted as punishment in six crimes and 19 sections have been repealed."

Similarly, there will be 170 sections under the Bharatiya Saksha (Second) Bill, changes have been made in 24 sections. New sections and sub-sections have been added.

--IANS

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