Essence of new criminal laws lies in delivering justice Adityanath

    Lucknow, Nov 26 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath emphasised on Tuesday that the essence of three newly-implemented laws in the country lies in delivering justice, rather than focusing solely on crime and punishment.
    Speaking at the inauguration of the National Conference on the Role of Forensic Science and Cyber Security in the Justice Process, held on the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution, the chief minister laid stress on the transformative nature of these laws, according to a statement issued by the Uttar Pradesh government.
    The two-day conference began at the Uttar Pradesh State Institute of Forensic Sciences here.
    "With the inspiration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, three new laws -- ”Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita-2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita-2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam-2023 -- were implemented on July 1. The essence of these laws lies not in criminal codes and penal provisions but in a code of justice and civil security. The process will begin with evidence collection, followed by bringing the accused in the dock," Adiytanath said.
    "The first condition for good governance is the establishment of the rule of law. Over the last seven years and a half, Uttar Pradesh has firmly established this principle, gaining recognition for its governance at both national and international levels," he added.
    The chief minister also inaugurated a new auditorium at the forensic institute and gave away certificates to students for various courses.
    On the occasion, Adityanath highlighted the significance of November 26, 1949 as a landmark date in the history of independent India.
    "On this day, India adopted the Constitution crafted by Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, a proud son of Bharat Mata, 75 years ago. In 2015, Prime Minister Modi declared this date to be observed nationwide as Constitution Day," he said.
    Speaking on the rapid advancements in technology, Adityanath emphasised its dual nature. "While development is accelerating due to technology, some misuse it to cause financial harm through cyber frauds and other digital crimes. It is essential to use technology positively to counter such incidents," he said.
    "If those with positive intentions shy away from technology, it allows negative elements to dominate. We must not let that happen," he added.
    Adityanath also outlined the initiatives taken by his government to address cyber crimes.
    "In the first phase, cyber police stations were set up in 18 ranges of the state, followed by their establishment in all 75 districts. Currently, cyber helpdesks are operational at all 1,775 police stations across Uttar Pradesh. Moreover, the Uttar Pradesh State Institute of Forensic Sciences was established to enable children to study cyber frauds and contribute to preventing such crimes," he said.
    In a veiled attack on the previous Samajwadi Party (SP) government in Uttar Pradesh, the chief minister said, "During a dark period in the state's history, the land of this institute was occupied by the notorious land mafia. Action was taken against these elements, the land was reclaimed and today, a grand institute stands on it, offering various educational courses."
    Reflecting on the prevailing conditions in the state before 2017, he said, "The conditions back then are well known. Youngsters were grappling with an identity crisis, and law and order had completely deteriorated. Hooliganism was rampant and people feared stepping out of their homes. Dreaded criminals and mafia dons freely operated parallel governments, creating a sense of insecurity and triggering an identity crisis for the state's citizens."
    "Today, Uttar Pradesh is riots-free, goons-free and mafia-free. Over the last seven years and a half, the government has conducted large-scale recruitment in the police force, filling more than 1.54 lakh vacancies transparently," he added.
    The event was attended by Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh, Director General of Police Prashant Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Deepak Kumar and ADG G K Goswami, among others, the statement said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)