New Delhi, August 21 (The Hindu) –  The Indian opposition and ruling party MPs exchanged barbs in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday over the government’s claim of bringing in political morality through three new bills allowing the removal of elected representatives arrested on serious criminal charges and held in custody without bail for more than 30 days. As the bills were introduced, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Congress leader K.C. Venugopal engaged in a sharp spat over Mr. Shah’s 2010 arrest while he was Home Minister of Gujarat.

During the tabling of the bills, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs escalated their protest by tearing copies of the proposed legislation in front of Mr. Shah’s seat, resulting in a brief jostle between Opposition and ruling party MPs. The BJP members, including Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Ravneet Singh Bittu, stepped in to shield Mr. Shah, while the TMC accused the Ministers of “pushing and shoving” women MPs.

‘We are going back to the medieval times,’ says Rahul Gandhi on new Bills

As the Home Minister introduced the three bills in the House, Opposition MPs shouted that they were “unconstitutional and anti-federal”. A resolution was passed by a voice vote to refer them to a Joint Committee of Parliament that will have 21 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha. The Committee has been mandated to submit its report to the House by the Winter Session, usually convened by the third week of November.

Facilitating removal

The three bills are the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025; the Constitution (One Hundred And Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025; and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025. The bills propose that any Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, Union Ministers, or Ministers of States and Union Territories, who are arrested and detained in custody for 30 consecutive days without obtaining bail, on charges of committing an offence punishable with imprisonment for five years or more, shall be removed from office by the 31st day.

For example, the Prime Minister in this situation can be removed by the President, or a Chief Minister by the Governor of the State, if they do not resign on their own.

‘Return to Medieval Era’

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, speaking at an event to felicitate the joint Opposition Vice-Presidential candidate, said the bills would take the country back to “medieval times when the King could remove anybody at will”. He explained how the proposed legislation could be used. “He tells ED [Enforcement Directorate] to put a case and a democratically elected person is wiped out within 30 days,” Mr. Gandhi said.

As soon as the bills were tabled in the Lok Sabha at 2:00 p.m., the House witnessed uproarious scenes as Opposition members trooped into the well, raising slogans. Opposition MPs, including the AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi and Congress MPs Mr. Venugopal and Manish Tewari, opposed the introduction of the bills, saying that they were against the Constitution and federalism.

Political Morality

“Leaders of the BJP are saying that this Bill is to bring morality into politics. Can I ask the Home Minister a question? When he was the Home Minister of Gujarat, he was arrested. Did he uphold morality at that time?” Mr. Venugopal asked.

Mr. Shah prompt responded by accusing the then-Congress government at the Centre of levelling false allegations.

“I want to set the record straight. Fake allegations were levelled against me, but despite that, I abided by morality and ethics and not only resigned but did not accept any constitutional post until I was cleared of all charges,” the Home Minister said. “We cannot be so shameless that we continue to occupy constitutional positions while facing serious charges,” he added.

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“The Indian Constitution is being amended to turn this country into a police state,” warned Mr. Owaisi.

“This Bill is against the jurisprudence of criminal justice and distorts Parliamentary democracy. The Bill opens the door for political misuse and throws all constitutional safeguards to the winds,” said Mr. Tewari.

Accusing the government of bringing the bills in “undue haste”, RSP MP N.K. Premchandran said, “These bills are not being introduced as per the procedures of the House… They have not even been circulated to the members.”

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