Centre’s drafts to substitute IPC and CrPC are draconian steps: Mamata Banerjee

KOLKATA: The recent move by Union government to substitute Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and Indian Evidence Act (IEA) are in true sense draconian steps, Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed on Wednesday.

She also claimed that she has come to this conclusion after studying the drafts prepared by the Union Home Ministry to substitute these three acts.

“Have been reading the drafts prepared by the Union Home Ministry to substitute the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and Indian Evidence Act. Stunned to find that there is a serious attempt to quietly introduce very harsh and draconian anti-citizen provisions in these efforts. Earlier there was Sedition Law; now, in the name of withdrawing those provisions, they are introducing more severe and arbitrary measures in the proposed Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which can affect citizens more gravely, the chief minister posted a message on her X (formerly Twitter) handle late Wednesday afternoon.

The chief minister has also said that the current acts should be decolonised not only in form but also in spirit. Urging the jurists and public activists of the country to study these drafts seriously for democratic contributions in the realm of the criminal justice system, the chief minister also said that Trinamool Congress’ Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members will raise these issues at the standing committee of the Parliament when these will be deliberated.

“Laws need to be improved in light of experiences, but colonial authoritarianism should not be allowed to have backdoor entry at Delhi,” the chief minister said.