[caption id="attachment_34" align="alignnone" width="549"] Congress Spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi (ANI)[/caption] The sedition law, Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code, has been under abeyance since May 2022, following directions from the Supreme Court. The law commission has recommended that the law be retained, but with stricter punishments. The Congress has accused the BJP government of planning to use the law to silence dissent ahead of the general elections. The law commission has recommended that the minimum punishment for sedition be increased from three years to seven years. The commission has also said that the law should be applied only in cases where there is a clear intent to incite violence or public disorder. The Congress has said that the law commission's recommendations are "draconian" and that the BJP government is trying to use the law to silence dissent. The Congress has also said that the BJP government has filed a disproportionate number of sedition cases against opposition leaders and activists. The BJP government has defended the law, saying that it is necessary to protect the country from threats to national security. The government has also said that the law is not being used to target political opponents. The Supreme Court is expected to hear a challenge to the sedition law later this year. Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said,

"A message of colonial mindset has been given that there will be a distance between the ruler and the ruled and through this law, the foundations of the republic will be uprooted. A message has been given ahead of the general election that we will use this in a one-sided manner, particularly against opposition leaders."

"Why have the cases of sedition burgeoned during the BJP regime? Is the government misusing it as a tool to curb criticism?" he said. Source: Hindustan Times