Bengaluru: The Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), which organized a seminar on "The Pursuit of Legal Justice" in Bengaluru, has termed the three new criminal laws that will come into effect from July 1 as unacceptable and against human rights. The speakers at the seminar argued that the law, which is meant to protect citizens, could harm innocent individuals by allowing them to be detained for 60 days without proper cause. Instead of promoting liberty, these laws curtail it.
Retired Karnataka High Court judge Justice H.N. Nagamohan Das, who was the chief guest, said that codified rules should be implemented first, and then legal reforms should be discussed. "There are no codified rules or guidelines for how legal reforms should be carried out. The government is making laws according to its will, not the laws needed to protect citizens. Rules and regulations are essential and cannot be left to the government's discretion. Due to this, justice is not being provided in many laws," he stated.
Justice Das further stressed the need to prioritize laws that protect citizens. He also emphasized that priority should be given to reforms in elections, administration, judiciary, education, health, and labor. However, he lamented that instead of focusing on these crucial issues, the government is applying new criminal laws that are not beneficial for the citizens. He pointed out that some individuals have fled the country with crores of rupees, and the government has failed to bring them back or recover the funds. Instead of enacting welfare laws, the government is busy implementing arbitrary laws, which should be opposed. He concluded that the government's actions are an attack on people's rights.
Justice Das praised APCR for organizing the seminar, the first of its kind in Karnataka, and called for further discussion on the new criminal laws.
Human rights lawyer and senior advocate B.T. Venkatesh fully opposed the new criminal laws, warning of their potential misuse due to the excessive freedom they grant to the police. He highlighted that the new laws prioritize police protection over citizen protection and detailed the various aspects and dangers of these laws concerning human rights violations.
PUCL activist Manavi Atri expressed concern over the rise in hate speech and discussed strategies to combat the spread of hate agendas through news channels.
Human rights activist and National Secretary of APCR, Nadeem Khan, highlighted the need for paralegal workers within the existing legal system. He strongly opposed the new criminal laws and stressed the importance of raising public awareness and documenting the misuse of laws. He also elaborated on APCR's nationwide services.
Author and Delhi University professor Apoorvanand urged APCR activists to collaborate with civil society to openly oppose such unfriendly laws.
APCR Karnataka Chapter President Advocate P. Usman gave the welcome address, outlining the program's purpose, while General Secretary of APCR Karnataka Chapter Advocate Mohammed Niyaz moderated the event. APCR activists from all districts of Karnataka attended the seminar.
It should be noted that the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), which will replace the Indian Penal Code, 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, respectively, will come into effect on Monday, July 1.
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