Terming as unconstitutional the Indian Legal Code (BNS) Bill introduced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the Lok Sabha on Friday, former Law Minister Kapil Sibal on Sunday alleged that the government talks about scrapping colonial-era laws, but does not. Their thinking is that they want to bring dictatorship through such laws.

Sibal, a Rajya Sabha MP, called upon the government to withdraw all three Bills to replace the Indian Penal Code, 1860, the Criminal Procedure Act, 1898 and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872. At the same time, he alleged that if the new laws become a reality, they will jeopardize the future of the country.

They (NDA government) talk about abolishing the colonial era laws, but their thinking is that they want to bring dictatorship in the country through these laws, Sibal told a press conference here. They want to enact laws under which action can be taken against Supreme Court and High Court judges, magistrates, public servants, the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) and other government officials.

He said, I want to request the judges to be careful. If such laws are passed then the future of the country will be in danger. Referring to the BNS Bill, Sibal said it was "dangerous" and if passed, all institutions would be ruled by the government alone. He alleged, 'I request you (government) to withdraw these (bills). We will tour the country and tell people what kind of democracy you want, which strangles people through laws and gags them.

The former Congress leader said that the bill is completely against the independence of the judiciary. Criticizing the government, he said, it is completely unconstitutional, it strikes at the very root of the independence of the judiciary. Their thinking is clear that they do not want democracy in this country.

Sibal was a Union minister during the Congress-led UPA-I and UPA-II. He quit the Congress in May last year and has been elected to the Rajya Sabha as an independent member with the support of the Samajwadi Party. He has formed a non-electoral platform 'Insaaf' with the aim of fighting injustice.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday introduced in the Lok Sabha the BNS Bill to replace the IPC, Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and the Indian Evidence Act, the Indian Civil Defense Code (BNSS) Bill and the Indian Evidence Act to overhaul criminal laws. Evidence (BS) Bill was introduced. Among other things, it is proposed to scrap the sedition law and introduce a new provision with a broader definition of the offence.