New Delhi (Agency): On September 12, 2023, the Assam Assembly turned down a private member’s bill that aimed to prevent mob lynching. The bill was proposed by AIUDF legislator Aminul Islam during the autumn session of the House. The state government argued that existing criminal laws are sufficient to handle such cases, rendering a new law unnecessary.
Islam, in his proposal, cited multiple instances of mob lynching in the state in recent years. He pointed out that public outcry often follows such incidents, demanding specific laws to counter the issue. “The proposed law will include imprisonment for all persons involved in any mob lynching incident, among other preventative measures,” said Islam.
Responding to the proposed bill, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika stated that while the issue of mob lynching is critical and unacceptable in any civilized society, the government already has robust measures in place to deal with it. “We already have different sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) to address mob lynching. Hence, we feel there is no need for a separate bill to tackle this issue,” Hazarika added.
The bill was eventually put to a voice vote by Deputy Speaker Numol Momin and was rejected by the Assembly.
This decision has once again raised questions about whether existing laws are indeed adequate to address the issue of mob lynching, a crime that has seen a troubling increase in recent years. The government maintains that current laws are enough and that it is taking strong actions against any individuals involved in such incidents.
The rejection of this bill reflects the Assam government’s stance that the issue can be adequately managed within the framework of existing criminal laws. However, it also highlights the ongoing debate about the need for specialized legislation to deal with the complex and often emotionally-charged issue of mob violence.
