Amit Shah slams opposition in LS, says need to worry about human rights of victims of crime

New Delhi [India], April 4 (ANI): Allaying concerns of opposition parties in Lok Sabha over human rights violations due to possible misuse of the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said they "worry about the rights of rapists and looters" and asserted that the government cares about law-abiding citizens.
"Those who are citing human rights should also think about the human rights of rape victims. They (opposition) only worry about rapists and looters. What about the human right of the person who has been looted? This bill is brought in to ensure the safety of law-abiding citizens of the country," said Amit Shah in Lok Sabha while replying to the concerns raised by the opposition over the bill.
"This bill has been brought for the safety of law-abiding citizens of the country. Don't try to paint it otherwise," he added.
The Home Minister claimed that the bill has been brought to technologically enhance policing in the country.
"In 2014, PM Narendra Modi put forward the concept of SMART policing. Where T meant Technology. We are here to fulfil that promise of T. England, Canada, South Africa, Australia and USA which are champions of human rights have more stringent laws than this," he said.
The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill, 2022 seeks to replace the Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920.
The bill provides for legal sanction for taking appropriate body measurements of persons who are required to give such measurements to "make the investigation of crime more efficient and expeditious".
It seeks to define ''measurements'' to include finger impressions, palm-print and foot-print impressions, photographs, iris and retina scan, physical, and biological samples and their analysis.
The bill seeks to empower the National Crime Records Bureau of India to collect, store and preserve the record of measurements and for sharing, dissemination, destruction and disposal of records.
The bill also seeks to empower a Magistrate to direct any person to give measurements and empower police or prison officer to take measurements of any person who resists or refuses to give measurements.
The bill was introduced in Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni. (ANI)