Amit Shah Congratulates Chandigarh for Pioneering Criminal Law Reform

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday congratulated Chandigarh for becoming the first city in India to fully implement three landmark criminal laws. Shah affirmed that the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) would be fully implemented nationwide within three years.

Speaking at a program to mark the dedication of these new criminal laws to the nation, Shah hailed the day as a "golden day for the Indian criminal justice system." He stated, "Today is a golden day for the Indian criminal justice system - as today - Chandigarh has become the first unit to fully implement all the three new criminal laws. Police, jail, judiciary, prosecution, and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), all of these are working to completely implement the new laws."

Shah emphasized that the previous criminal laws, such as the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and Evidence Act, were created during British rule for the protection of colonial interests. "Earlier laws were 160 years old - they were made in the British parliament, they were more for the protection of British rule and not for the people. The laws that PM Modi has brought are made by Indians," he noted.

The new laws, Shah said, are designed to deliver justice, not punishment. "These laws have no place for punishment but justice. It will be implemented in the entire country within three years," he assured. He also highlighted the creation of a new post, the 'Director of Prosecution,' aimed at tackling corruption. Additionally, the term 'sedition' has been replaced with 'treason' in the revised laws. Shah reported that over 11 lakh FIRs have been registered, and within just four months, 9,500 cases have been resolved.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the same event, reinforced the need for these reforms by explaining how colonial-era laws were meant to oppress and control Indians. "In 1947, when our country became independent after centuries of slavery, after the wait of generations, after the sacrifices of the people, when the dawn of independence came, what kind of dreams there were, what kind of enthusiasm there was in the country. The countrymen thought that since the British had left, they would also be freed from the British laws. These laws were the means of the British oppression and exploitation," PM Modi said.

He further criticized the continuity of these laws post-independence, arguing that the criminal justice system had remained largely unchanged, treating citizens as "slaves." "The idea and purpose of these laws was to punish Indians and keep them enslaved. Unfortunately, for decades after independence, our laws revolved around the same penal code and penal mindset, which was used by treating the citizens as slaves. Small changes were made at times, but the character remains intact. Why we should continue with laws in the independent country that were made for slaves," PM Modi remarked.

The Prime Minister also praised the extensive consultation process that led to the creation of the three new criminal laws, which involved contributions from Chief Justices of India, Chief Justices of High Courts, judicial academies, law institutes, civil society members, and more.

The three laws, implemented nationwide on July 1, 2024, aim to make India's legal system more transparent, efficient, and suited to modern societal needs.

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