New Delhi/IBNS: In his reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President's address, Congress president and Rajya Sabha floor leader Mallikarjun Kharge targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling him "an expert in giving slogans" amid strong rebuttal from the treasury bench.

Speaking in the House, Kharge said, "For the last ten years, the opposition has been saying the same thing to the Prime Minister - don't just give slogans, do some work too..."

"The Prime Minister gave the following slogans, Good days will come, Self-reliant India, Act East Policy, Save daughters, Educate daughters, Everybody's company will help in everybody's growth, Crossed 400, These are slogans and the Prime Minister is an expert in giving slogans. Narendra Modi is misleading people just by giving slogans and speaking sweet words."

Kharge has slammed the Centre for muzzling the Opposition's voice and claimed the 18th Lok Sabha elections proved "arrogant slogans" have no buyers in democracy.

The Congress MP referred to the BJP's 'Abki bar, 400 par' slogan which fell flat as the saffron party failed to get the required majority needing mandatory support of allies to run the government.

Kharge said, "The opposition had to constantly struggle to put forward its views in the House, because BJP's thinking was that there should be no opposition in the Parliament. If his thinking had not been like this then the post of Deputy Speaker would not have been vacant for the first time in the 17th Lok Sabha.

"In this very House the Prime Minister had said – One alone is stronger than all. So, I want to ask today: 'How many people are more powerful than one single person today?' The election results have shown that the country's constitution and people are more important than everything else. There is no place for arrogant slogans in democracy."

Earlier, Kharge opposed the three new criminal laws that have replaced the colonial-era Indian Penal Code (IPC) calling them "bulldozer justice".

Kharge has slammed the ruling party BJP for enforcing the three new laws, which were passed by Parliament when 146 MPs were suspended during the 17th Lok Sabha.

The Congress president posted on X, "After the political and moral shock in the elections, Modi ji and the BJP are pretending to respect the Constitution, but the truth is that the three laws of the criminal justice system that are being implemented from today were forcibly passed by suspending 146 MPs.

"INDIA will no longer allow this “Bulldozer Justice” to run on the Parliamentary system."

In a move which will completely overhaul the criminal justice system in the country; three newly enacted laws – the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam – will come into effect from Monday.

According to a notification by the Ministry of Home Affairs earlier, the three laws will replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860; the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973; and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872.

The three new criminal laws have incorporated several new provisions to suit contemporary times and technologies in vogue.

The three laws will focus on justice rather than punishment and are aimed at providing speedy justice, all the way, strengthening the judicial and court management system emphasising on ‘access to justice by all’.

The three new laws received Indian Parliament's nod on December 21, 2023 and President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent on December 25, 2023.

The new laws are coming into effect just weeks after PM Modi returned to power for the third straight term.