Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 1 : After Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticised the opposition parties for opposing the new criminal laws, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that no law is bad, but the problem lies with how the laws are implemented.
Abdullah also alleged that the laws are first used against the people of Jammu and Kashmir and then they have an effect on other 'mulkon' (States).
"No law is bad; the problem lies with how the laws are implemented. The previous laws did not have the scope of being misused as much as the new ones. We wanted a new government to be formed after these elections so that these laws could be deliberated upon. We hope that the NDA members think about these laws and that discussions are held on them," he said.
"All the laws are first used against the people of J-K, and then they have their effect on other 'mulkon'. After the Assembly elections are held in J-K, there will be a new government, a people's government in the state. Then we will see where these new laws are used in J-K," Abdullah added.
Earlier today, Amit Shah criticised the opposition parties for opposing the new criminal laws and said that there are several occasions to do politics but the new acts should be supported.
The new criminal laws Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Sanhita came into effect from July 1 midnight.
On the Opposition's criticism that no discussions were held before implementation, Shah said, "For these new laws, a few friends in the Opposition are saying different things before the media. I would like to tell you all that 9.29 hours of discussions were held in Lok Sabha and 34 members participated in that. In Rajya Sabha, over 6 hours of discussions were held. 40 members participated in the discussions."
Shah said that discussions on these laws were held for over four years. "It would be one of the laws on which such a long discussion was held before it was taken into Parliament," he added.
The three new laws received Parliament's nod on December 21, 2023. President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent on December 25, 2023, and was published in the official gazette on the same day.