Opposition Slams ‘Bulldozer Justice’ as New Criminal Laws Take Effect

The government faced severe criticism from the Opposition as three new criminal laws came into effect on Monday, with accusations of pushing through legislation without proper parliamentary debate. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, passed in December, were lambasted as a “cut, copy and paste job” by opposition leaders who condemned the suspension of MPs during the contentious Winter Session.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge denounced the laws, alleging they were hurriedly passed by suspending 146 MPs, calling it a disregard for parliamentary norms. “INDIA will no longer allow this ‘Bulldozer Justice’ to run on the Parliamentary system,” he asserted.

Congress leader P Chidambaram criticized the new laws, claiming they were mostly a replication of existing laws with minor amendments. He highlighted concerns about constitutional validity and the lack of meaningful debate in Parliament. “It is another case of bulldozing three existing laws and replace them with three new Bills without adequate discussion and debate,” he remarked.

Echoing these sentiments, Congress MP Manish Tewari and NCP leader Supriya Sule raised alarms about the laws’ potential to erode civil liberties and transform the country into a police state. They criticized provisions expanding police powers, extending remand periods, and reducing judicial oversight.

Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghose expressed reservations about vague language in the laws and highlighted concerns over new offenses like expanded definitions of terrorism and privacy intrusions.

The new laws, intended to modernize the justice system, replace colonial-era statutes like the Indian Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code, and Indian Evidence Act. Union Home Minister Amit Shah defended the reforms, emphasizing improvements such as Zero FIR, online police complaints, and enhanced crime scene documentation.