Video Editor: Mohd Irshad Alam
During a discussion on the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill 2022 in the Rajya Sabha on 6 April 2022, Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remark on the law and order situation in Bengal triggered a protest by TMC MPs in the Upper House.
Despite many Opposition parties calling it 'unconstitutional' and 'draconian', and claiming that it could be misused, both the Houses of Parliament had passed the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill, which empowers the police to obtain physical and biological samples of convicts and those accused of crimes.
The bill was passed by a voice vote after Shah responded to the concerns raised by the Opposition.
'It's Good You Didn't Go to Bengal...'
Responding to a query raised on the bill by AAP MP Sanjay Singh, who spoke about a false case allegedly filed against a party worker in Gujarat, Shah claimed that he was not aware of the FIR and said that it was good that Singh "did not go to Bengal."
"Sanjay Singh said he was speaking about an FIR in Gujarat. I want to tell him that so far he has only gone to Gujarat and I'm not aware of an FIR filed against their party. If they have done something, there could be an FIR against them. But if you go to Bengal, you will be killed. It's good you haven't gone to Bengal yet."Amit Shah, Union Home Minister
Bengal Govt Has Changed the Harshest Definition of 'Fascist': Shah
Amit Shah's remark triggered a massive protest by the TMC MPs in the House who claimed that his statement was incorrect and showed Bengal in a bad light.
Amid the ruckus, Shah claimed that he was at the receiving end of violence in Bengal, when he had visited the state ahead of the 2019 general elections. "They're asking me if I have gone there. I had gone there during the 2019 elections. Fireballs were hurled at my roadshow. BJP president Nadda's vehicle was gheraoed and attacked. All these things are in reports," he added.
"They (TMC) say it's a fascist bill. I don't want to say much on this. But I will only say that the Bengal government has changed even the harshest definition of the word fascist."Amit Shah, Union Home Minister
'Amit Shah Spreading Lies, Misusing His Capacity As Home Minister'
Shah's remark on Bengal did not go down well with the TMC MPs who were quick to condemn the statement. TMC MP Saugata Roy said that it was the BJP government, and not the Bengal government, that was fascist and believed in rioting and hooliganism.
"Shah is lying and spreading canards. Amit Shah, JP Nadda, and other BJP leaders had visited Bengal repeatedly ahead of the state Assembly polls. But was any one of them murdered? These are blatant lies that Amit Shah was spreading, misusing his capacity as the Home Minister. BJP is the fascist party that believes in rioting and hooliganism."Sougata Roy, TMC MP
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