Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita' - PM Narendra Modi Says New Criminal Laws Strengthen Spirit Of Democracy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday, said that in a healthy democratic setup law should work as a support, but in the case ofthe  Indian Penal Code, there was fear of the law. Speaking during a programme marking the successful implementation of the three new criminal laws, PM Modi said that innocents were more afraid of the IPC than the criminals.

"In the older system - the process was punishment. In a healthy system - the law should work as a support but in IPC - there was one way only - fear of the law - and that too in those who used to be victims. Innocents used to be in more fear than criminals, earlier... Many of the important laws remain devoid of discussion. There were plenty of discussions on Article 370, triple talaq and nowadays it's Waqf Amendment Bill, which is under discussion," PM Modi said in Chandigarh.

Old Laws: A Brief History By Modi

Tracing the journey of IPC since the British era, PM Modi said in 1860 the British introduced the Indian Penal Code to punish Indians and keep them enslaved. "Unfortunately, for decades after independence, our laws revolved around the same penal code and penal mindset, which was used by treating the citizens as slaves. Small changes were made at times, but the character remains intact," PM Modi said.

"Why should we continue with laws in the independent country that were made for slaves… The country must come out of that colonial mindset and hence, on 15th August, from Red Fort, I put the resolve before the nation… Our Nyaya Sahita is strengthening the spirit of - Of the People, By the People, For the People,” the PM said.

What Are The Three Laws PM Modi Is Talking About?

The three transformative new criminal laws mentioned by PM Modi are — Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam.

The conceptualisation of the three laws was driven by the vision of the Prime Minister to remove colonial-era laws which had continued to exist post-independence, and to transform the judicial system by shifting focus from punishment to justice.

The new criminal laws, which were implemented nationwide on July 1, 2024, aim to make India’s legal system more transparent, efficient, and adaptable to the needs of contemporary society.