A stormy day unfolded in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday as Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced three contentious bills providing for the removal of the prime minister, Union ministers, chief ministers or state ministers if arrested and detained for 30 consecutive days on serious criminal charges. The move triggered uproar from opposition parties, who labelled the proposed legislation as unconstitutional, draconian, and a threat to democracy.
Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi termed the government’s move ‘medieval’ and remarked, “There is a lot of action going on about the new Bill that the BJP is proposing. We are going back to medieval times when the king could just remove anybody at will. There’s no concept of what an elected person is. He doesn’t like your face, so he tells ED to put a case, and then a democratically elected person is wiped out within 30 days.”
#WATCH | Delhi: Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says, “There is a lot of action going on about the new Bill that the BJP is proposing. We are going back to medieval times when the king could just remove anybody at will. There’s no concept of what an elected person is.… pic.twitter.com/vZdiqSh11X
— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025
Priyanka Gandhi Slams Move as “Draconian”
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra condemned the bills, calling them undemocratic and anti-constitutional. According to news agency PTI, speaking to reporters in Parliament, she said, “It is a completely draconian thing. It goes against everything and to couch it as a measure which is taken as anti-corruption is just to pull the wool over the eyes of the people. Because, what it basically allows a government to do is — You don’t even have to be convicted.”
She further argued, “Tomorrow, you can put any case on a chief minister and have him arrested for 30 days without even him being convicted, and then he ceases to be chief minister. I think it is absolutely wrong, it is anti-democracy and against Constitution, it is undemocratic, and it is very unfortunate.”
Mamata Banerjee Calls Bills “Super Emergency”, Warns of “End of Democracy”
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sharply criticised the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, calling it “a step more than a super-Emergency.” In a post on X, she wrote, “I condemn the 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill, proposed to be tabled by the Government of India today. I condemn it as a step towards something that is more than a super-Emergency, a step to end the democratic era of India forever.”
I condemn the 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill, proposed to be tabled, by the Government of India today. I condemn it as a step towards something that is more than a super- Emergency, a step to end the democratic era of India for ever. This draconian step comes as a death… pic.twitter.com/Vx78R1fh6V
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) August 20, 2025
The Trinamool Congress chief alleged that the bill “will finish the independence of the country’s judiciary” and accused the BJP of pushing towards “One man-one-party-one Government.” She added, “This draconian step comes as a death knell for democracy and federalism in India.”
The Lok Sabha witnessed chaotic scenes as opposition MPs tore up copies of the bills after Shah’s tabling. TMC MP Mahua Moitra declared, “Today is one of the darkest days in Indian democracy. Late last night, the BJP govt, which has only 240 MPs, this is not a majority govt, hanging on with the help of two allies introduced a bill which is a constitutional amendment bill, and with this, any opposition minister can be arrested and within 30 days … This is extremely dangerous, we are in a state of super emergency.”
On Opposition protests in Lok Sabha, TMC MP Mahua Moitra said, “Amit Shah got scared. First, he sent marshals for the opposition. He sat like a coward in the fourth row. The Home Minister, who is afraid to bring a constitutional amendment from his own seat, goes and sits in the fourth row out of fear of the opposition. What moral authority does he have to bring a constitutional amendment?”
VIDEO | TMC MP Mahua Moitra says, “First, marshals were sent inside… What moral authority does the Union Minister have if he is so afraid that he has to sit in the fourth row to bring this constitutional amendment?’
(Full video available on PTI Videos -… pic.twitter.com/BBx48YokqF
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 20, 2025
TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee echoed the sentiment, stating, “This is an unconstitutional bill, what else will one do with it if not tear it? Whatever was done was the right thing… because this bill is unconstitutional and undemocratic.” He further alleged, “All these ED cases are fake. The conviction rate of the ED is only 0.5%.”
VIDEO | Delhi: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee says, “Some MPs have torn papers. I did not tear them, but leave that aside. This is an unconstitutional bill, what else will one do with it if not tear it? Whatever was done was the right thing. Even if I didn’t do it,… pic.twitter.com/ENguOrJcTu
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 20, 2025
AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi also raised concerns, warning on X that “today’s three amendment bills will automatically remove any Minister if detained or kept in custody for 30 days. The govt is turning India into a police state. This is a direct assault [on the] separation of powers, and representative democracy.”
Today’s three amendment bills will automatically remove any Minister if detained or kept in custody for 30 days. The govt is turning India into a police state. This is a direct assault separation of powers, and representative democracy. pic.twitter.com/HDj4erRzM2
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) August 20, 2025
According to PTI, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut claimed, “The new laws are meant to ensure that the governments of different parties in the states join the BJP or else there will be a looming threat of the chief minister getting arrested.” “These new laws symbolise dictatorship…The government claims there should be morality in politics but have they practised it in the government in the last 10 years,” the Rajya Sabha member asked.
Amit Shah Says Govt Bills Will ‘Elevate Declining Level Of Morality In Public Life’
Union Home Minister Amit Shah took to social media and highlighted the proposed amendments. “Seeing the Modi government’s commitment against political corruption in the country and the public’s outrage, today I introduced a constitutional amendment bill in Parliament with the consent of the Lok Sabha Speaker, which ensures that important constitutional posts, such as Prime Minister, Chief Minister, and ministers of the central and state governments, cannot run the government while in jail. The purpose of this bill is to elevate the declining level of morality in public life and bring integrity to politics,” he stated.
“(1) No person, while arrested and in jail, can govern as Prime Minister, Chief Minister, or a minister of the central or state government. (2) When the Constitution was framed, our Constitution makers could not have imagined that in the future, there would be political figures who would not resign on moral grounds before being arrested. In recent years, an astonishing situation has arisen in the country where Chief Ministers or ministers have continued to run the government immorally from jail without resigning. (3) This bill also includes a provision that allows an accused politician to seek bail from the court within 30 days of arrest. If they fail to obtain bail within 30 days, on the 31st day, either the Prime Minister at the center or the Chief Minister in the states will remove them from their posts, or they will automatically become legally ineligible to perform their duties. If such a leader is granted bail after the legal process, they can resume their position,” he added.
एक ओर प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी ने अपने आप को कानून के दायरे में लाने का संविधान संशोधन पेश किया है और दूसरी ओर कानून के दायरे से बाहर रहने, जेल से सरकारें चलाने और कुर्सी का मोह न छोड़ने के लिए काँग्रेस के नेतृत्व में पूरे विपक्ष ने इसका विरोध किया है।
देश को वह समय भी…
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) August 20, 2025
Further, he left it to the citizens to decide whether it is appropriate for a minister, Chief Minister, or Prime Minister to run the government while in jail.
In another post, Shah slammed the Opposition protest in Lok Sabha and wrote, “It was clear from the beginning that this bill would be placed before the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) of Parliament, where it would be thoroughly discussed. Yet, abandoning all shame and decency, the entire INDI alliance, led by Congress, gathered to oppose it with crude behavior to protect the corrupt. Today, the opposition has been completely exposed in front of the public.”
BJP Says “Opposition Stands With Corruption”
The ruling BJP dismissed the opposition’s protest as misplaced. Union Minister Amit Shah, while facing loud sloganeering in the House, said he had resigned on moral grounds before his own arrest in Gujarat, insisting, “We cannot be so shameless that we continue to occupy constitutional positions while facing serious charges.”
According to news agency ANI, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan emphasised that three bills aim to bring transparency, hitting out at the opposition. He said, “The way the opposition behaved in Parliament today is condemnable… Does the opposition, especially the Congress party, want its leaders to remain above the law even after going to jail?… In the past, we have seen that some leaders wanted to run the government from jail and did not resign… This bill will bring a lot of transparency… The aim of the leaders opposing this bill is to bring anarchy in the country… This shows how little they respect the Constitution… Rahul Gandhi is anti-Constitution.”
#WATCH | Delhi | Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan says, “The way the opposition behaved in Parliament today is condemnable… Does the opposition, especially the Congress party, want its leaders to remain above the law even after going to jail?… In the past, we have seen that… https://t.co/pesA2MdnHd pic.twitter.com/k8dBIN5Cdp
— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025
BJP MP Anurag Thakur hit back, asking, “What is the opposition protesting against, morality or corruption? After all, in Indian politics, if we talk about resigning on the basis of morality and against corruption, and then about making laws, why does the opposition oppose this? Today, the fight is clear: who stands with the corrupt – the opposition; and who is free from corruption – the BJP. The opposition and such actions that took place in Parliament have shamed democracy and have also shown that the opposition stands with corruption and is ready to go to any extent to protect the corrupt.”
#WATCH | Delhi | BJP MP Anurag Thakur says, “What is the opposition protesting against, morality or corruption? After all, in Indian politics, if we talk about resigning on the basis of morality and against corruption, and then about making laws, why does the opposition oppose… https://t.co/pesA2MdnHd pic.twitter.com/gP80TLnpIm
— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025
Party colleague Ravi Shankar Prasad questioned, “It is very sad that MPs are behaving like this, trying to fight… What is their problem with this bill? Do they have a problem because this bill provides a solution for people like Arvind Kejriwal, who go to jail but do not resign?… People who go to jail and still run the government, it is sad for Indian governance… This bill addresses this issue. I don’t know why they are creating a ruckus…”
#WATCH | Delhi | BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad says, “It is very sad that MPs are behaving like this, trying to fight… What is their problem with this bill? Do they have a problem because this bill provides a solution for people like Arvind Kejriwal, who go to jail but do not… https://t.co/pesA2MdVwL pic.twitter.com/9dX477l02M
— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025
Sambit Patra remarked that the opposition’s behaviour in Parliament was unprecedented: “The way the opposition MPs, especially Congress MPs, behaved in the Parliament has never happened in history…The way opposition MPs tore and threw the copies of the bill and intimated the Speaker…The copies of the bill were thrown towards Union Home Minister Amit Shah…A black chapter has been written by the opposition…They did all this to save the corrupt…Government cannot be run from jail…When this kind of bill was brought by Indira Gandhi, it was mentioned that cases cannot be registered against the Prime Minister, President, Vice-President…”
#WATCH | Delhi | BJP MP Sambit Patra says, “The way the opposition MPs, especially Congress MPs, behaved in the Parliament has never happened in history…The way opposition MPs tore and threw the copies of the bill and intimated the Speaker…The copies of the bill were thrown… https://t.co/pesA2MdnHd pic.twitter.com/0cwVrcJwNQ
— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025
“In this bill, action can be taken against the Prime Minister, Union Ministers, state ministers, and the Chief Minister…To save Lalu Prasad Yadav, Manmohan Singh brought an ordinance, tore that ordinance and said that he was against corruption. Today again the bill was torn, which means that they want governments to be run from jail…The nation is watching this hypocrisy,” Patra said.
Bills Referred to Joint Committee
Despite the uproar, the bills — the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill 2025, the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill 2025, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2025 — were referred to a Joint Committee of Parliament comprising 21 Lok Sabha and 10 Rajya Sabha members.
The Committee has been tasked with submitting its report by the first week of the Winter Session, expected in November.
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