"Calling it anti-corruption measure a veil over eyes of people": Priyanka Gandhi on bill for removing CMs, ministers

New Delhi [India], August 20 (ANI): Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday took strong exception to the "draconian" and "undemocratic" Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill which aims to provide a framework for the removal of Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and ministers of state and union territories if they are arrested on serious criminal charges.
The Congress leader said that the amendment being touted as an anti-corruption measure is just a "veil over the eyes of people," claiming that a Chief Minister could be arrested on fabricated charges and be removed from their post after 30 days without a conviction if the bill is passed.
"I see it as a completely draconian thing, as it goes against everything. To say it as an anti-corruption measure is just to pull a veil across the eyes of the people," the Wayanad MP told reporters here.
"Tomorrow, you can put any kind of a case on a CM, have him arrested for 30 days without conviction, and he ceases to be a CM. It is absolutely anti-constitutional, undemocratic and very unfortunate," she added.
Earlier today, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi also echoed similar sentiments. Calling the bill unconstitutional and claiming that the BJP wants to make the country a "police state."
"This bill is unconstitutional. Who will arrest the Prime Minister?...All in all, the BJP government wants to make our country a police state through these bills. We will oppose them...The BJP is forgetting that power is not eternal," Owaisi told reporters at Parliament premises.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP Amra Ram said that if the amendment is passed then "everyone will be removed" from their post, alluding to the law being used to target opposition leaders in different states.
"If this is based on the 30-day punishment, then everyone will be removed. 30-day sentence is not a big crime," the CPM MP told ANI.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Sudhakar Singh, while criticising the bill, said that the government does not have the right to punish the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers and Ministers.
Sudhakar Singh told ANI, "Here, the government is saying that it will file a case and dismiss... If an FIR is filed, some people resign and some do not, but you do not have the right to punish them."
The RJD MP alleged that with this Bill, the nation is moving towards dictatorship.
The Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, seeks to remove a Central or State Minister who is facing allegations of corruption or serious offences and has been detained for at least 30 days. The Bill will be tabled by Union Minister Amit Shah in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. (ANI)