The West Bengal assembly on Friday passed the Prevention of Lynching Bill, 2019 against mob violence. The bill, which had been tabled yesterday, had been supported by the opposition Congress and CPI(M).
However, BJP neither supported nor opposed the bill as it felt that the legislation is another tactic to settle political scores.
Speaking in the house, Mamata Banerjee said that as the central government is yet to bring this law in the country, which it should have done long back, the their government has brought for the state.
Lynching is a social evil everyone needs to come together to fight against this evil and at the same time, the Supreme Court has also given direction to take action against lynching, added Banerjee.
The bill proposes a jail term, which may vary from three years to life for those convicted of assaulting and injuring a victim.
In the case of death of the victim, persons responsible for the incident would be punished with rigorous life imprisonment and fine up to Rs. 5 lakh, added the bill.
