MyVoice: Views of our readers 7th July 2024

Smooth out irritants in way of new laws  

The thought of revisiting and modifying the IPC Act which is as old as 150 years has been felt by the government now. The compelling reasons to do so after so many years are, however, not known nor have been made public.

A raging controversy about the issue and with it heated debates across pan-India, especially by legal luminaries & fraternity, raised many doubts and questions about the smooth transition to a new judicial regime. Why at all a makeover was deemed a necessity when an act withstood the test of time for 150 long years. Though each one is entitled to have his or her opinion, the stark reality will be that it is not at all going to be that easy to implement these 3 new criminal laws without a structural framework being put in place in a reasonably quick time. I for one felt that the "legal fraternity should have been taken into confidence by mounting a national discourse and debate before these were thrust (if I may use the word). This wasn't however done. However, if these laws help in rendering an efficient, transparent & speedy justice delivery system in the country by removing the deficiencies in the previous IPC act, the new laws will be all the more welcome.

A reformed judicial system for a Viksit Bharat will become the nation's pride. But to make this happen, police establishments, courts & legal fraternity en masse have to work really hard. Technological tools have to be used wherever feasible and a newly updated training module for the police personnel and the judiciary has to be readied and imparted. This is a time-taking process. The huge pendency of backlogs will pose an onerous task for the judiciary. All these call for strengthening the judiciary by way of enhanced manpower, more courts, technological upgrades etc. Budgetary allocations for these to be made

–N R Raghuram,Hyderabad

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The introduction of three groundbreaking criminal justice codes – the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) – marks a definitive departure from a legal edifice steeped in its colonial heritage. This monumental shift ushers in a new epoch of modernization, poised to rectify long-standing inefficiencies within the justice system. However, the path to successful implementation is laden with complexities that demand meticulous navigation.

At the heart of these reforms lies an unwavering commitment to modernization. The new codes astutely acknowledge the surge of electronic evidence, empowering prosecutors to harness digital footprints and cyber records in their investigative and judicial endeavors.

Furthermore, the BNSS introduces regimented timelines for legal proceedings, promising to expedite trials and mitigate the scourge of protracted pretrial detentions that have beleaguered the current system for decades. However, the transition to this reformed legal landscape is fraught with challenges. The judiciary, along with legal practitioners and law enforcement agencies must adapt to the novel codes.

Resource allocation is another critical determinant of the reform’s success. The new legal paradigm necessitates substantial investments in infrastructure and training for law enforcement, judiciary, and forensic institutions.

Ultimately, the true measure of success for the BNS, BNSS, and BSA will lie in their tangible outcomes. Reduced judicial backlogs, expedited trials, higher conviction rates for grievous crimes, and a more empathetic approach towards victims are the benchmarks that will determine the efficacy of these new legal codes. The passage of time, persistent public engagement, and a commitment to continuous evaluation will reveal whether this ambitious reform can indeed fulfill its promise of revolutionizing India's legal landscape.

–Amarjeet Kumar, Hazaribagh

Obscenity in films affects social mores

Films show immense impact on youth in particular and people in general. By using films as a medium, concepts like human values, women empowerment, patriotism, etc. can profoundly be cultivated among the people.

But quite contrary to this, filmmakers are stuffing their movies with bloodthirsty content and sexually provocative scenes. Indubitably, films with these scenes deviate youth from a healthy life. Producers and directors should not consider filmmaking as a lucrative business.

Filmmakers are portraying flirtatious behaviour and debauched lifestyles are assets of heroism and filling films with many unsightly scenes. Hence, most of the parents are not venturing on to watch films at theatres with their children. Youth is impressionable. Knowingly or unknowingly, if youth watch adult content in films regularly, they undoubtedly distract attention from their studies and build a wrong perception towards women. Watching scenes of adult themes and offensive language in films makes youth prematurely sex-conscious and encourages criminal activities.

Irrespective of language, films that are made in India are promoting the Western lifestyle. Directors, as much as possible, should refrain from showing extramarital affairs and prostitution in their films. studies show that about 1600 to 1800 movies are released every year in India in 25+ languages. With this, it is clear, that Indians are very keen on watching movies.

Allahabad high court in the month of July 2023 expressed concern over the youth of our country saying, "Youth spoiling their lives by imitating relationship trends influenced by western culture aired on movies and social media."

Therefore, as films leave a potent effect on the youth, filmmakers should avoid obscene content and profanities in their films.

Filmmaking should not be seen as a money-spinner, instead, it should be considered as a medium to provide people with positive entertainment and human values.

–K Manoj Kumar, Huzurabad

EPS-95 pensioners in dire straits 

Dear Prime Minister, the Employees Pension Scheme, 1995 (EPS-95) has brought misery in the lives of retirees from certain public and private sectors in India. The retirees have been getting a static pension of around Rs 1000 for the past two decades. These retirees approached the then Congress and BJP governments with a begging bowl to hike minimum pension with DA and medical facility including spouses. In certain CPSUs, wage revisions due in 1992 and 1997 were stalled. Supreme Court clarified that wages should not be stopped even if the company was in financial crisis but governments paid deaf ears.

The Congress government when it was in power made a big promise to hike the pension if the companies were revived. The FCI Ltd, Ramagundam, and its other units in the country were rebuilt with new technology but the problem remains as it is. In the meantime BJP again came to power in 2014 and this party also grossly neglected these hapless retirees. State Governments are paying old-age pension up to Rs 4000. EPS-95 pensioners who are qualified and served the nation for decades are ignored. The Supreme Court judgment favoured the retirees after 2014 only.

National Agitation Committee under the leadership of Commander Ashok Rawat turned no stone in his efforts and appraised personally all relevant Central Ministers the need for higher minimum pension. The government is well aware of this issue. Trust you will announce your early decision to make EPS-95 retirees happy in their fag end of life.

– N S R Murthy, Hyderabad

Address poverty, access to food

A recent UNICEF report on child nutrition should cause serious concern over the impact of malnutrition on children’s health all over the world, especially in India, where 40% of the children are affected. Household poverty is the main reason for the nutrition shortage, which is seen in both poor and non-poor households. It is not always poor diets that cause malnutrition. Inadequate feeding practices and feeding environments are also factors that make the situation difficult. It also says more than half of the children experiencing severe food poverty live in relatively wealthier households.

Poor feeding practices and feeding environment and cheap unhealthy foods have a role in nutrition deprivation. The situation is exacerbated by conflicts, climate crises, and economic disparities. High food prices also make nutritious food unaffordable for many. It recommends eating five of eight main food groups daily: breastmilk, dairy products, eggs, meat and fish, pulses and seeds; vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables, grains and roots, and fruits and vegetables. These guidelines need to be popularised so that the importance of diversified food is realised by all families. India has a double challenge. It must first address the problems of poverty to ensure that families and children have access to food.

–N Sadhasiva Reddy, Bengaluru

Punish Bhole Baba severely for mishap

The tragic incident of a stampede took place at Hathras spiritual gathering near Lucknow city, organised by Bhole Baba, formerly Suraj Pal, a former policeman who changed his name to Narayan Sakar Hari. As many as 121 people, mostly women, were killed at the religious gathering. It is quite unfortunate, and the culprits and Baba should be punished. The initial permission was granted for only 80,000 people, and it was attended by more than 2,50,000 members. The organisers could not make proper arrangements, and local authorities and the organizers failed to provide proper facilities for such a spiritual gathering. The innocent who lost their lives were mostly from the poorer sections of society, and the government of Uttar Pradesh has to take responsibility. We should not encourage such gatherings, which have self-motives and attract innocent villagers as followers and wish to encash their support.

When we look at Suraj Pal, he also had an earlier criminal record. The police should take stringent action against Bhole Baba and the organizers, and they should be sentenced to life imprisonment. The victims' families should be given proper compensation. Before organising such a large meeting, organizers have to pay insurance to all the people. Such an act has to be considered so that people will be cautious when organising such incidents.

Kanagiri SN Prasad, Hyderabad