A contentious bill proposed by the central government is causing a political storm, with the opposition vehemently opposing the legislation. The bill aims to allow for the removal of the Prime Minister, Union Ministers, and Chief Ministers or Ministers of states and union territories if they are arrested or detained on serious criminal charges.
The opposition views this bill as a maneuver to destabilize their ranks. The Congress party has voiced concerns that the BJP-led government intends to use central agencies to unfairly target and remove opposition leaders. Abhishek Singhvi, a senior Congress spokesperson, criticized the proposal, citing the absence of proper arrest guidelines and the potential for misuse. He emphasized that the law could lead to the immediate removal of incumbent Chief Ministers upon arrest.
Mahua Moitra, a TMC MP, expressed that the BJP, with its limited parliamentary strength, is attempting to alter the constitution. She further stated the new bill disregards the federal structure and the judiciary, enabling the central government to employ the ED and CBI to arrest opposition Chief Ministers on baseless accusations and subsequently dismiss them without a conviction.
Adding to the criticism, Gaurav Gogoi, the Congress’s Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha, sees the bill as a tactic to divert attention from Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar. The proposed legislation has sparked a heated debate regarding its implications for political stability and the functioning of democratic institutions.