Amit Shah's 'Italian mindset' dig at Congress

New Delhi: Home Minister Amit Shah took a jibe at the Congress on Wednesday, saying people with an "Italian mindset" will not be able to understand the basis on which three bills related to criminal laws have been introduced in Parliament.

Responding to a debate in the Lok Sabha on the three bills that seek to replace the existing Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and Evidence Act, Shah said the proposed legislations reflect the spirit of the Constitution but those with an Italian mindset will never understand it, in an apparent dig at the Congress.

The senior leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) asserted that the three bills are based on justice, transparency and fairness.

"If your mind is open, if the mindset is Bharatiya (Indian), you will understand it. But if the mindset is Italian, then you will never understand," he said.

Shah also said people understand what the opposition believes in and that is why they are sitting on the other side. Not only that, they are outside, he said, referring to the suspension of as many as 97 opposition MPs for disrupting the House proceedings.