The introduction of a bill during the parliamentary monsoon session on August 20, which would allow for the removal of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and Ministers if arrested on serious criminal charges and held for 30 days, has sparked controversy. The opposition strongly condemned the bill, with some tearing up copies, alleging it was an attempt at blackmail.
Tejashwi Yadav, the former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar and Leader of the Opposition, accused the government of undermining democracy with this bill, suggesting it would be used for blackmail.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said, “This is a novel approach to blackmailing people. This law is solely aimed at intimidating Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu.” He accused the government of employing similar tactics in the past, citing cases where chief ministers were jailed and later acquitted, such as Hemant Soren and Arvind Kejriwal. He contended that the law is meant to weaken democratic institutions.
Tejashwi alleged that the BJP, having failed to achieve its ambitious target of 400 seats, is now dependent on Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu. He suggested that the law is designed to prevent any potential shifts in allegiance, particularly given the scrutiny Naidu is facing from various investigative agencies. He criticized the BJP’s tendency to introduce new laws for blackmailing purposes, claiming that this law will simplify their actions. He accused the BJP of collaborating with anti-national elements to dismantle democracy.
He also highlighted that the bill grants even an inspector the authority to arrest a chief minister and detain them for 30 days, which would lead to the loss of the chief minister’s position. He described the bill as an effort to undermine democracy and violate the constitution.