The Congress on Friday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government is planning to make the colonial-era sedition law more draconian and that it was giving a message that the legislation will be used against Opposition leaders, reported The Indian Express.
The statement came after the Law Commission proposed retaining the law with key amendments. The commission said that calling the law part of a “colonial legacy” is not a valid ground for its repeal, adding that the jail term under the law should be increased from three years to seven years.
The law, under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code, was put in abeyance by the Supreme Court last. It had also requested state governments and the Centre to not file any new cases under the rule till it is re-examined.
On Friday, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said at a press conference that the BJP, through its agencies, was intending to use sedition “as a tool to subverse, subjugate and silence dissent”.
“This government has obliquely declared its clear intent to continue its selective and partisan misuse of this law against political dissent,” he said.
Noting that the Supreme Court has put the law on hold, Singhvi said it was astonishing that Law Commission has recommended not only retaining it but making…
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