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

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.
National News
Congress MP Imran Masood calls for banning liquor during Navratri

Saharanpur, March 29: Congress lawmaker Imran Masood said on Saturday that not just meat shops, liquor establishments should be shut during the nine-day festival of Navratri and called for embracing and promoting the spirit of brotherhood and communal harmony.
“Everybody is demanding a ban on meat shops during Navratri. Why is no one asking for a ban on liquor shops? Why is there no outpouring on the free flow of liquor during Navratri? Will this not spoil the purity and sanctity of the festival?” Saharanpur MP said in a special interaction with media.
The Congress Parliamentarian said that peaceful celebration supersedes everything, and it is incumbent upon all communities to maintain decorum during festivities and also make certain sacrifices, be it Eid or Navratri.
Notably, Eid-ul-Fitr and Navratri are coinciding on the same day this year. Both festivals are set to fall on Monday, with little possibility of change in the Eid schedule on account of moon sighting.
Days ago, the Congress MP also extended support to the demands of a meat ban during Navratri celebrations. In an apparent message to the Muslim community, he said that nothing would change if one did not eat meat for ten days.
“What matters above everything is the peaceful co-existence of communities. At no point in time, the differences over food preferences lead to communal strife,” Masood told newspersons.
Congress MP, when asked questions on the party’s strategy for the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, said that the Opposition is fully prepared to take on the Centre on “partisan legislation”.
“We opposed the amendments in the JPC meeting, tooth and nail. We will strongly voice our dissent in Parliament too,” he said.
Notably, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday that the Waqf Bill will not be delayed any further and will be reintroduced in the ongoing session of Parliament.
Only four working days of the Budget Session are left, as it concludes on April 4.
National News
‘PM Narendra Modi Relies On Crutches Of Nitish Kumar And Chandrababu Naidu To Pass Waqf Bill”: AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi

Hyderabad: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi spoke on the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 and said that the BJP does not have a majority in the Lok Sabha, and if Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar oppose it, it won’t be passed.
While speaking to media, Asaduddin Owaisi said that PM Narendra Modi is relying on the crutches of Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar. He stated that Union Home Minister Amit Shah is spreading lies in the country regarding the Waqf Bill.
“Amit Shah is the Home Minister of the Government of India and his statement is proof of the fact that you trying to make an unconstitutional law which can be challenged in the court. This is a violation of the articles of the Constitution and the Waqf of the entire country will suffer because of it. You are removing the section of the Waqf property, who will benefit from it. You are omitting the revenue of lakhs of rupees. Amit Shah is lying to the country that you can challenge the Waqf Tribunal in the court. Prime Minister Narendra Modi relies on the crutches of Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu and if they do not support this unconstitutional bill, then this law will not be made”, Asaduddin Owaisi said.
Earlier on Friday, Owaisi supported the ‘black band’ protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. Owaisi, who is also part of the JPC on the Waqf bill, joined in the symbolic protest on Friday by wearing a black armband as he offered prayers.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday that Waqf Amendment Bill, on which JPC has given its report, will be tabled in the Budget session of Parliament. The Budget session is slated to conclude on April 4.
“Nobody needs to get afraid of the Waqf Bill. In 2013, the Congress-led government passed the Waqf Bill and made several provisions that are not aligned with our Constitution. We are now trying to align the bill with constitutional principles,” he said.
Asked about Asaduddin Owaisi’s black arm band protest, Amit Shah said people have a right to do so. “Some do it through their clothes, some through their words. In Parliament, one opposes through logic,” he said.
Crime
Accused in Saif Ali Khan stabbing case files bail plea, claims innocence

Mumbai, March 29: Mohammad Shariful Islam Shahzad, the accused in the stabbing of Bollywood superstar Saif Ali Khan, has filed a bail petition in the Mumbai Sessions Court, asserting that he is innocent and the case against him is fabricated.
The attack took place in the early hours of January 16 when the accused allegedly entered Saif’s Bandra residence through his youngest son Jeh’s room.
The actor, who was reportedly trying to fend off the assailant, suffered multiple stab wounds. Despite his injuries, Saif managed to go to the hospital on his own, accompanied by his son Taimur.
Shariful Islam Shahzad’s petition, filed through his lawyer, claims that the FIR was wrongly registered and that he has fully cooperated with the police investigation.
His legal team argues that since all evidence is already in police custody, there is no risk of tampering, and therefore, he should be granted bail.
Currently, the case is being handled by the Bandra Magistrate Court, but it falls under the jurisdiction of the Mumbai Sessions Court. Once the police file a charge sheet, the case will be transferred to the Sessions Court. However, the charge sheet is yet to be filed.
According to media reports, doctors removed a 2.5-inch knife from Saif’s wound. The actor sustained six stab injuries, two of which were serious as they were near his spine.
The incident reportedly occurred around 2:15 am on January 16 when the accused broke into the house, attacked the house help, and then stabbed Saif when he intervened.
Saif was alerted by noises from Jeh’s room, where he found the accused in an altercation with the house help. Attempting to protect the staff, Saif fought off the intruder with his bare hands before being stabbed multiple times.
Investigations have revealed that the accused, a Bangladeshi national, intended to rob a wealthy individual to finance his mother’s medical treatment in his home country. He has a history of petty theft and was previously dismissed from restaurants in Worli and Thane for stealing.
It is also reported that the attacker was unaware of Saif Ali Khan’s celebrity status and targeted the residence purely because it was located in an upscale apartment complex.
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