Alleging the laws against the spirit of democracy and said that they are designed in a way that snatches the civil liberties and human rights of people, especially of religious minorities of the country, All India Majlis e Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Member of Parliament, Asaduddin Owaisi launched a fresh attack against the three newly laid criminal amendment Bills in the Lok Sabha, winter session today.
While opposing the Bills he said, “Bhagat Singh and Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi would have called these laws Rowlatt Act.”
He also highlighted the increasing percentage of undertrial Muslims languishing in the country’s jails, and alleged prejudice against religious minorities and other disadvantaged groups in the implementation of criminal laws, citing the data released by the National Crime Records Bureau and the Centre for Study of Developing Societies.
“Muslims Dalits, Adivasis are languishing in jail. They are reforming the laws for those who are in power and not for the poor. How will the poor or socially vulnerable benefit from these laws? The cure is deadlier than the disease”, said Owaisi.
He further said, “Life itself is a trial for the Muslims, Dalits, and Adivasis in this country.”
AIMIM MP Owaisi also raised concerns over 187 (3) of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita which empowers police custody beyond 15 days.
Regarding that, he said, “Even UAPA directs the Superintendent of Police to submit an affidavit seeking reason for police custody beyond 30 days. This law has removed this provision too, which means it is up to the police to decide how long they want to keep the person in jail. This will affect Muslims, Dalits and Adivasis and will not get bail.”
He went on to say. “These laws will hinder investigative journalism and have the potential to target and incarcerate journalists for critical and objective journalism.”
AIMIM Chief was interrupted by another Member of Parliament while he was talking about the provisions penalising terrorism over potential violation of civil liberties.
Owaisi however slammed the MP and said, “Main Tayyar hu Marne k liye, tum maroge bolo? Kahan maroge? Tumahari goliyan khatm hojayengi main zinda rahunga- I am ready to die, will you kill me? Where do you want to kill me? Your bullets will be over but I will remain alive.”
Among all the other things he said to support his opposition to the three Bills he mentioned that the Bills lack the inclusion of DK Basu guidelines, it has limited the bail opportunities, lack of provisions for men to deal with sexual harassment and stalking.
He also said, “This law is truly inspired by the existing UAPA in one way or the other as it has borrowed provisions and incorporated in the proposed penal code.”
Meanwhile, on the thirteenth day of the winter session, the Lok Sabha passed the three revised criminal law bills, namely, the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, proposing to replace the Indian Penal Code, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, proposing to replace the Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Sanhita, which seeks to replace the Indian Evidence Act.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke on the criminal bills in the absence of 97 suspended Opposition MPs. Two MPs from Kerala namely – Thomas Chazhikadan and AM Arif were suspended from the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, taking the total number of suspensions in both houses to 143.
