DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran opposes naming Bills replacing criminal laws in Hindi

Senior DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran has voiced his opposition to naming the three Bills replacing IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act in Hindi, as a Parliamentary panel on Thursday started a three-day briefing by Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on the proposed legislations, sources said.

Maran is also learnt to have submitted a three-page letter to Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs Chairman Brijlal, outlining his argument on the name in Hindi as well as other aspects of the Bill, which included his concerns on provisions on use of handcuffs, lack of providing a time-limit for presidents and governors to clear mercy petitions and omission of provision to punish those brandishing weapons.

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 and the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, 2023, as introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 11, were referred to the panel by Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on August 18.

Sources said Maran was of the view that the titles of the Bills are in Hindi though the text is in English in violation of Article 348. He also said the Hindi titles violate the "unitary" nature of the country where the citizens speak various languages.

"Hindi cannot be imposed through these Bills in non Hindi speaking states like Tamil Nadu and I strongly object to usage of Hindi titles and also text inside the  three Bills," sources quoted Maran as saying.

Sources said Maran also demanded that there be a relook at the provision in the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, which replaces the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), for using handcuffs in specified cases as he believes that it "will fail the test of constitutionality".

In his letter, sources said, he has also raised the issue of not providing a time limit for deciding on mercy petitions while expressing concern that it would lead to a situation where such pleas remain pending for a long time leading to courts commuting sentences.

He has also expressed concern over the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which replaces the Indian Penal Code, seeking to "omit" the provision for knowingly carrying arms or organising or taking part in mass drill and training with arms. He said if omitted, this will encourage groups having "such tendency to organise such drills with weapons, etc. which create enmity between groups".

He demanded that there should be thorough discussion with all stakeholders, sources said.