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Parliament proceedings | Lok Sabha passes Bills to replace British-era criminal laws

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The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed three amended Bills that seek to repeal and replace criminal laws which date back to colonial times. This criminal law reform brings terrorism offences into a general crime law for the first time, drops the crime of sedition, and makes mob lynching punishable by death.

The Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita Bill (BNSS) will replace the Indian Penal Code, 1860; the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill (BSS) will replace the Indian Evidence Act, 1872; and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita Bill (BNSSS) will replace the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898. All three were discussed and passed with a voice-vote, in the absence of the majority of Opposition members from INDIA bloc parties, as 97 of them have been suspended during this session.

Home Minister Amit Shah said that the three Bills stressed justice rather than punishment, and have been designed to last for the next century, keeping technological advancements in mind. “This is a pure Indian law after removing all the British imprints. As long as we are in power, we cannot become a police State,” the Minister said.He moved an amendment to the BNSS, which will exclude doctors from criminal prosecution for death due to medical negligence, and will make hit-and-run accident cases punishable by ten years imprisonment.

‘No sympathy for terrorists’

Noting that more than one lakh people have been killed in terror attacks across the country over the past 75 years, Mr. Shah said that the BNSS had, for the first time, defined terrorism and included it as a separate category in the general crime law.

Also read | The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita needs a relook

“Some members pointed out that UAPA [the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act] already exists. But in places where they were in power, they never invoked UAPA and those who committed acts of terrorism escaped under the provisions of general law,” Mr. Shah said. “We have shut the doors for such people to escape punishment by including terrorism in the criminal law. Terrorism is the biggest enemy of human rights. Such people should get the harshest of punishment. This is not Congress or British rule, how can you defend terrorists?” he asked.

Mr. Shah insisted that there was no scope for misuse of the terror provisions in the BNSS, but claimed that there was undue fear which made some Opposition MPs oppose the laws. “I insist that this fear should persist. There should be no sympathy for people who commit terrorist acts,” he said.

Earlier in the debate, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal, while speaking about Punjabi youth who took to militancy swayed by emotions, claimed that the two men who had jumped inside the Lok Sabha chamber on December 13 had also been affected by their emotions on the issues of unemployment, Manipur violence, and farmers’ rights. The two men, along with four associates, have been booked under UAPA, among other charges. The SAD leader also flagged the absence of a majority of the Opposition members, saying that key Bills should not be passed in such a manner.

Rajdroha vs deshdroha

The Home Minister said that sedition has been repealed in the new law. “We have replaced an individual with the country. Rajdroha (sedition or offence against the government) has been replaced with deshdroha (offence against the nation or country). Gandhi, Tilak, Patel all went to jail under this particular British law, yet it was never scrapped by the Opposition when they were in power. It continued all these years,” he said.

“[AIMIM MP Asaduddin] Owaisi ji is thinking that we have merely changed the name of sedition. I want to say that this is an independent country. Nobody will be sent to jail for criticising the government, but you cannot say anything against the country or do anything against the interests of the country. If you harm the flag or the property of the country, you will be sent to jail,” Mr. Shah said.

Also read |Revised criminal law bills: Key changes explained

‘Muslims, Dalits will be hurt’

Earlier, Mr. Owaisi said that the new laws would impact minority and underprivileged communities the most, adding that they did not have any safeguards against police excess and fabricated evidence. “Most undertrial prisoners are Adivasi, Dalits and Muslims. The conviction rate of Muslim inmates is 16% and their population is 14%. As many as 30% detenues in jails are Muslims. 76% backward class, Dalits and religious minorities are on death-row. You are reforming [the law] for the powerful; this will not benefit the poor,” Mr. Owaisi said.

He pointed out that Clause 187 of the BNSSS permits police custody of up to 90 days, as against the 15-day custody allowed till now. The law also prevents any third party from filing mercy petitions on behalf of convicts on death-row.

Mr. Owaisi added that it was an irony that people accused of terror charges themselves were also speaking in Parliament on the Bill. The BJP MP from Bhopal, Pragya Singh Thakur, faces charges under UAPA, with regard to her alleged involvement in the 2008 Malegaon blast where six people were killed. She spoke during the debate on the Bill, claiming that the British-era laws had been misused to torture her in police custody for 13 days.

‘Definition of terror is too broad’

Krishna Devarayalu Lavu of the YSR Congress also objected to the clause permitting 90 days of police custody. He noted that recently, three contentious farm laws had been withdrawn after farmers staged a peaceful protest. “They protested so their rights can be taken care of. If you invoke sections pertaining to attack on sovereignty of the country, it does not make any sense. The definition of terrorist acts is too broad,” the YSR Congress MP said.

Mr. Shah, however, insisted that the total police custody would only be 15 days. “If, after the first seven days of police questioning, someone gets admitted in hospital, the person will have to appear before the police for another eight days after recovering or getting discharged. Meanwhile, courts can also grant bail,” he said.

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241 dead, one survivor as Air India Dreamliner crashes after takeoff from Ahmedabad: Air India

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New Delhi, June 13: In what is being described as one of the worst aviation disasters in Indian history, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport.

The aircraft, operating as Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, plunged into a residential complex near BJ Medical College, killing 241 people on board.

The ill-fated flight had 230 passengers, 10 cabin crew, and two pilots. According to officials, only one person, a British national of Indian origin seated in 11A, survived the crash and is currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital.

The aircraft took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1.38 p.m. (IST) on Thursday before losing control moments later and crashing into a densely populated area, igniting a massive blaze and triggering emergency response teams across the city.

Air India confirmed the accident in an official statement on X: “UPDATE: Air India confirms that flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on 12 June 2025, was involved in an accident. The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew. The aircraft crashed shortly after take-off. We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital.”

The airline also shared the nationality breakdown of passengers: 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.

“Air India offers its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected, their families and loved ones. A team of caregivers from Air India is now in Ahmedabad to provide additional support,” the statement added.

The national carrier has pledged full cooperation with authorities investigating the cause of the crash and has established dedicated helplines for families seeking information.

Domestic callers can reach the support team at 1800 5691 444, while international callers are advised to dial +91 8062779200.

Regular updates will be provided through Air India’s official website and its X handle.

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Plastic nurdle spill from sunken cargo ship reaches TN’s Dhanushkodi sanctuary, raising alarm

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Chennai, June 10: A plastic nurdle spill from the sunken cargo ship MSC ELSA 3 has spread into the newly declared Dhanushkodi Greater Flamingo Sanctuary in Ramanathapuram district, threatening one of India’s most fragile coastal ecosystems.

The MSC ELSA 3, a Liberian-flagged vessel, sank off the Kochi coast a few weeks ago while carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous materials, 12 with calcium carbide, 367 tonnes of furnace oil, and 84 tonnes of diesel.

The ship’s cargo manifest remains undisclosed, fuelling speculation about the full extent of environmental risk.

Dhanushkodi Sanctuary, located within the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, supports 128 species of birds — including Greater and Lesser Flamingos — and is home to sea turtles, crustaceans, molluscs, and fish. Its dunes, marshes, and seagrass beds form part of the Central Asian Flyway for migratory birds.

The nurdles — tiny plastic pellets used in industrial manufacturing — resemble fish eggs and can be deadly to marine life. When ingested, they cause internal blockages, starvation, and often death. They also absorb toxins, entering the food chain and posing long-term health hazards.

About 80 bags, each weighing 25 kilograms, have reportedly washed ashore along a 12-km coastal stretch. Affected sites include the Dhanushkodi old church, Irattaithalai, Mugandharayan Chathiram, Gothanda Ramar temple, and Patchappatti village.

Carried by ocean currents from the Thiruvananthapuram-Kanniyakumari coast, the spill now threatens the adjacent Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, home to vital coral reefs and seagrass beds.

Experts warn these habitats could be smothered by plastic debris, blocking sunlight and disrupting photosynthesis.

Ramanathapuram District Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon said, “We’ve identified between 15 and 30 nurdle bags along the coast. A special team has been deployed for cleanup, and additional teams are monitoring for further debris.”

He urged the public not to panic, stating that swift action was underway.

The disaster evokes memories of the 2021 X-Press Pearl incident in Sri Lanka, where 1,680 tonnes of nurdles led to mass marine deaths and crippled fisheries.

Studies showed severe impacts on plankton and larval life forms, threatening entire food chains.

Cleanup efforts in Ramanathapuram face challenges due to the nurdles’ buoyancy and small size, worsened by monsoon waves that break them into microplastics.

With the 61-day annual fishing ban nearing its end, fishermen fear reduced fish catches and consumer hesitancy could harm their livelihoods if the spill worsens.

Environmentalists are calling for urgent intervention, cargo transparency, and long-term containment measures to prevent irreversible damage to one of India’s most critical marine ecosystems.

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Eight Punjab and Haryana HC judges take lead to boost Kashmir tourism post Pahalgam terror attack

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Srinagar, June 9: To give a boost to Kashmir tourism post Pahalgam terror attack, eight judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court are visiting the valley along with their families.

The visit of the legal personalities along with their families carries a powerful message for the revival of tourism in Kashmir, which got shattered after the Pahalgam terror attack.

On April 22, Pakistan-backed terrorists of Lashkar-e-Kashmir (LeT) killed 26 civilians, including 25 tourists and a local pony owner.

The pony owner sacrificed his life while trying to protect the tourists from the bullets of the terrorists.

The terror attack caused outrage in the entire country, and to avenge the killings of innocent civilians, the Indian Armed Forces carried out airstrikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan under Operation Sindoor.

In retaliation for India’s attack on terrorist infrastructure, Pakistan resorted to heavy mortar shelling on civilian facilities in Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora districts.

Eighteen civilians were killed in Pakistan shelling, 13 of them in Poonch district, in addition to the destruction of scores of homes, shops, a temple, a mosque, a church and a Gurudwara.

The itinerary of the visiting high court judges includes visits to the Mughal Gardens of Nishat and Shalimar, Shikara rides on the Dal Lake, a visit to the historic Pari Mahal and buying a few handicrafts at the local market.

There could be no better omen for the revival of tourism in Kashmir than the decision of the honourable justices of the High Court to come here along with their families.

Coinciding with the visit of these dignitaries, local tour and travel operators and hotel owners are reporting a gradual rise in the tourist bookings that had virtually stopped after the Pahalgam terror attack.

Tour and travel operators and others connected with the tourist industry have expressed hope that the visit by the most respected legal dignitaries, like the high court judges, will restore confidence among visitors, both domestic and foreign, that Kashmir is a safe tourist destination.

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