The focus of his question was on the cases registered after the January 26 violence in the national capital against climate activist Disha Ravi and farmer leaders.
The Congress and the government on Tuesday created a ruckus in the Lok Sabha over cases of tampering with the opposition party, alleging that the opposition party had misused the stringent law. Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said that it should not give lectures to others in democracy. .
During the Question Hour, Telangana Congress member Anmula Revanth Reddy demanded the number of cases registered under the offense of treason, rate of conviction and steps taken for their speedy trial during the last 10 years.
The focus of his question was on climate activist Disha Ravi, who was arrested earlier this year in a farmer protest toolkit case and later cases were filed against farmers union leaders after the 26 January violence in the national capital.
Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Shri Reddy gave a written answer to the question in the House.
The minister said that 47 cases of sedition were reported in 2014; 30 in 2015; 35 in 2016; 51 in 2017; 70 in 2018 and 93 in 2019.
The minister said, “The Center has no direct involvement in treason cases.”
However, Mr. Revanth Reddy was not satisfied with the response. He said that he had sought details for 10 years but the information was provided only till 2014-2019.
Mr. Revanth Reddy said, “Half the information is taking the house in the wrong direction.” He said that after 2014, whoever criticizes the policy of the government, is charged with treason.
“In 2019, the conviction rate (for treason) was 3.3%. This means that these are politically motivated matters. If a youth leader is booked for treason and the case is deferred for 4-5 years, then he is not in the post, he will not get a job, passport, visa. Activists like Disha Ravi were accused, but they could not prove anything in court.
He also asked if there was any proposal to drop “false allegations” against the farmers union leaders opposing the three agricultural laws of the Center.
In response, the minister said that the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data is based on information received from all states.
Attacking the Congress, the minister said, “The member (Anumala) asked why the information was not given before 2014. In cases of treason, when the Congress was in power, it did not keep any separate data on it. He Combined this with all IPC crimes, ”he said.
The minister said that after the Modi government took charge, it started presenting a separate data on the charges of treason.
“… After the rise of social media, after media awareness … They also make big speeches on democracy. But even then treason cases are very less,” the minister said.
Another Congress member Manish Tiwari also raised similar questions. He said that Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code which deals with treason is being misused and used to suppress freedom of expression.
The minister said that the Congress did not need a lecture on misuse as it used the Internal Security Act (MISA) against opposition leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Shri Revanth Reddy and Shri Tiwari also asked whether the government was planning to reduce the scope of treason. The minister said that a committee on criminal law reforms was formed in February 2020 under the chairmanship of the Vice Chancellor of National Law University, Delhi.
Home Minister Amit Shah has asked for suggestions on proposed amendments to Chief Ministers, judicial officers of all states, various editions and law universities, law institutes.
After the report is prepared, it will be discussed in Parliament.
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