New Delhi, Apr 4 (IANS): After opposing the CrPC amendment bill in the Lok Sabha saying that it violates Article 21 and is "beyond the legislative competence of the government", the Congress on Monday demanded to send it to the Standing Committee for further deliberations.

The bill is slated to pass in the Lower House. The meeting of the parliamentary strategy group was chaired by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

Earlier, addressing the issue of the violation of Article 21, Congress MP Manish Tewari, said: "The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill 2022, which is a derogation of Article 20 sub Article 3 and Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, highlighted that the bill is beyond the legislative competence of the House and against the fundamental rights of our citizens."

He said that an accused cannot be made a witness against himself in the light of the Supreme Court's judgements.

However, the government rejected the objections and the bill was introduced after a division of votes in which the opposition was defeated.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni said that the law was made in 1920 and is 102 years old and in the interest of the law enforcing agency, it needs to be amended.