'Citizen First, Dignity First, and Justice First': Amit Shah Hails PM Modi's Vision For the Three New Criminal Justice Laws

Kurukshetra, Haryana: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his vision and mantra of 'citizen first, dignity first, and justice first' in implementing three new criminal justice laws, which replaced colonial-era legislation and came into force on July 1, 2024.

Addressing the public in Kurukshetra, Haryana, Shah said, "We have introduced various provisions. Narendra Modi emphasized: Citizen First, Dignity First, and Justice First. These laws were enacted based on these three principles, and I can confidently say that PM Modi has made improvements in many areas. However, the most significant reform of the 21st century is these three laws of our criminal justice system. Instead of using force, our police now rely on data, and instead of third-degree methods, they depend on scientific evidence. Through these laws, the five pillars of police, prisons, judiciary, prosecution, and forensics have been integrated online."

About the Three New Laws

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) replaced the Indian Penal Code, 1860.

Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.

Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) replaced the Indian Evidence Act, 1872.

Mantra of the Laws

Citizen First: Places citizens at the core of the legal system, addressing issues like complex FIR filing. The new laws introduce "Zero FIR," enabling case registration at any police station, regardless of jurisdiction.

Dignity First: Prioritizes safeguarding individual dignity, especially for women and girls, with provisions ensuring their safety and rights at home, work, and in society.

Justice First: Focuses on delivering swift and timely justice, particularly for victims, by setting strict timelines for legal processes, such as charging the accused and issuing verdicts.

During his speech, Shah also lauded PM Modi for changes to the GST structure ahead of the festival season.

"Just before Diwali, PM Modi made several changes to the GST system, lowering rates on 395 items. This was a major gift for our mothers and sisters before Diwali, resulting in a significant boost in sales on the first day of Navratri. However, he also urged every household and consumer in India to commit to buying only Swadeshi items for daily use. If 1.4 billion Indians purchase domestically made products, our market could become the world's largest, leading to rapid economic growth," he said.

"PM Modi has elevated our economy from 11th to 4th place globally. By 2047, India should be number one in every field. The path to this lies through self-reliance via Swadeshi— increasing production, manufacturing within the country, and encouraging every Indian to buy goods made in India. This is the mantra to reach the top position in the world," he added.

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