The four laws if passed would bring a harder life in India along with strict penalties

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The four laws if passed would bring a harder life in India along with strict penalties
The four laws if passed would bring a harder life in India along with strict penalties

FOUR LAWS; IF PASSED WOULD BRING HARSH AND STRINGENT PUNISHMENTS

The Narendra Modi government has scrapped 1,159 obsolete laws. At least a dozen of these laws were of colonial era. But some laws like Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code have been retained. Recently, the executive and judiciary arms have proposed new laws which may drastically affect crime and punishment in India.

Here is a list of 4 laws for such offences that may invoke harsher penalties if passed.

 

  1. Cow Slaughter Laws:

It is believed that excretions of cow possess miraculous powers, like arresting ageing, warding off radioactivity, etc.

Politicians demand cow to be made the national animal, replacing the tiger. The similar view has also been expressed by a High Court. A law in Gujarat has penalised cow slaughter with life imprisonment.

Also, the Union government went several steps like modifying the existing rule to prevent cruelty against animals, According to which sale and purchase of cattle for slaughter purpose is prohibited across India. The regulation has indirectly banned trade in and consumption of beef.

Further, Hyderabad high court judge while in a dispute involving 63 cattle that were seized from a complainant has asked the states to amend the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and IPC Section 429 and to make cow slaughter a non-bailable offence in states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. He considers Cow is a substitute to mother, who is a substitute to God.

 

  1. Laws related to ‘Hurting’ River Ganga:

The National River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Bill 2017has a mission of reviving Ganga,country’s most ancient and expansive water bodies. The penalty for ‘Hurting’ River Ganga may extend up to ₹100 crore.

The Uttarakhand High Court recently has held river Ganga as a ‘living entity’ where in a case ‘godman’, whose organisation destroyed the floodplains of another ‘holy river’, hasn’t payed the fine imposed on him by the National Green Tribunal.

It is considered sacred by millions of Hindus across the world. Such concept would invoke the latent humanity in the same million Hindus who have sullied the waters of the river for generations.

 

  1. Contempt of EC:

The Election Commission (EC) of India, acts as upholder of the highest democratic standards in India.

According to a letter sent to the law ministry, The Election Commission (EC) of India has sought amendment to the Contempt of Courts Act 1971 to give it the power to punish anyone being discourteous to its authority. All of this angry petitioning stems from the EC’s due to the Aam Aadmi Party claims that the electronic voting machines in the assembly elections were allegedly tampered with. So, the EC has been claiming its supremacy in matters of electoral fairness and has even pledged to take advanced measures for the 2019 polls.

 

  1. Sedition Laws:

The sedition law was passed decades ago, but is on news nowdays. We can find college students raising slogans against the establishment to citizens who don’t stand up for the national anthem, or people getting slapped with it with for various reasons. Sedition is also routinely invoked in India to silence dissenting voices.

It has been made a tool against those activists who lobby for transparency and accountability of the state apparatus. since 2005, around 51 right to information activists have been killed .

More recently, Karnataka police arrested 12 people over a ‘Jai Maharashtra’ logo imprinted on a bus driven to Belgaum.

Pilibhit said those refusing to accept ten rupee coins as legal tender could be served with a sedition case.

Further, Venkaiah Naidu, the Union Minister had hinted that slogans of ‘azaadi’ may be brought under a tightened sedition law if Law Commission reviews it.

And If that happens, it may take away the freedom of speech of a citizens by which is an important tool for democratically and peacefully opposing those in power.

 

 

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