Vice-President tears into Chidambaram over ‘part-timers’ jibe on new criminal laws

Thiruvananthapuram, July 7 (IANS) Without taking name, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday hit out at Rajya Sabha MP P. Chidambaram over the latter’s comments that the three new criminal laws were drafted in the Parliament by ‘part-timers’, as he termed the Congress veteran's remarks as an ‘inexcusable insult’ to the wisdom of the Parliament. 

The new criminal laws, Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), replaced the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively, with effect from July 1, 2024.

Taking strong exception to the 'part-timers' jibe by the Congress MP, the Vice-President said that he was shocked beyond words to see such ‘irresponsible and wild’ remarks that part-timers have drafted the ‘new criminal laws'.

Chidambaram, who served as the Finance Minister in UPA I and UPA II regimes, said in an interview with The Indian Express that the three criminal laws which came into force from July 1 were drafted by ‘non-professional people’, who were ‘part-time members of a committee’.

“Are we part-timers in Parliament? This is an inexcusable insult to the wisdom of the Parliament! I do not have words strong enough to condemn such kind of narrative being set afloat,” Jagdeep Dhankar said.

Addressing the 12th Convocation of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday, the Vice-President told the audience that when he opened the newspapers this morning, he was shocked to see such a statement by an informed mind who has also been the Finance Minister of the country.

Vice-President Dhankar, who is also the Rajya Sabha Chairman, urged the audience to 'be on guard' over a deliberate narrative being floated by certain elements to ‘run down our nation, demean our institutions and also taint our progress'.

"When informed minds knowingly lead you astray, we need to be on guard,” he told the audience.

“With a heavy heart, I am sharing with you that the gentleman gave total rest to his vocal chords while the debate was going on in the Parliament on Nyaya Vidhan,” he added.

Making an appeal to the Congress MP, he said, “Please withdraw these derogatory, defamatory, and highly insulting observations to the Members of the Parliament. I hope he does it.”