Hindi Names For Criminal Law Bills Are Against Constitution: Madras Bar Association

Nithyakalyani Narayanan. V

The Madras Bar Association remarked on the step taken by the Central Government to rename the Indian Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code and Indian Evidence Act with ‘Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita Bill’, ‘Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Bill’ and ‘Bharatiya Sakshya Bill’ in Hindi as against the Constitution. The Association has also passed a resolution in this regard. They held this action to be a move by the Union to impose Hindi and urged them to retain the English names.

President of the Madras Bar Association Advocate V.R. Kamalanathan and Secretary Advocate D. Sreenivasan stated that the Extraordinary General Body Meeting of the Association held on August 23rd, has resolved unanimously that the Association expresses its objection and anguish over the naming of bills in Hindi- “The move is against the provisions of the Constitution of India and it is further resolved that the suggestions/views of the said bills will be sent shortly to the Minister of Law, Government of India with a request to reconsider and restore the original names of the above-mentioned acts.”

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had lashed out at the BJP-led Central Government recently for making attempts to replace the criminal laws by introducing new bills in Parliament. He remarked that it was an attempt by the Central Government to rig the essence of India’s diversity – “The fire of resistance against Hindi colonialism is ablaze once more. The BJP’s audacious bid to supplant our identity with Hindi will be opposed resolutely.” The CM has also started the hashtag ‘StopHindiImposition’.