The Jharkhand Assembly on Tuesday passed the Prevention of Mob Violence and Mob Lynching Bill 2021 ignoring demands of legislators for a discussion and opposition by BJP.
The Bill aims to provide effective protection of Constitutional rights and prevention of mob violence. It includes provisions like registering an FIR for disseminating “explosive and irresponsible” content, providing free medical care to victims and punishment for creating a “hostile environment” for victims or witnesses. It also sets out a maximum punishment of life imprisonment and a fine of Rs25 lakh for anyone found guilty of lynching or abetting the offence.
Congress MLA Irfan Ansari has demanded the government to make a provision for capital punishment instead of life imprisonment. Irfan Ansari, alleging that there was a large-scale incident of mob lynching in the previous BJP government, said that so far 60 people have lost their lives.
Opposing the Bill, BJP MLA Amit Mandal said, “No one has any problem with the Bill, but there are areas which need correction. The word “Mob” has not been described in the right manner. If two or three people have some dispute over any issue, then they will be booked under the Mob Lynching Act which is absolutely wrong and that’s why we are opposing the bill.”
Meanwhile, Minority Welfare Minister Hafizul Hasan said that the Bill will benefit victims of mob lynching.
