A bill presented during the Parliament’s monsoon session on August 20, which allows for the removal of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and Ministers if arrested on serious criminal charges and held for 30 days, has drawn heavy criticism. The opposition has strongly protested against the bill, with some members tearing it up, claiming it is a tool for blackmail.
Tejashwi Yadav, former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar and the current Leader of the Opposition, accused the government of plotting to destroy democracy with the bill, suggesting it would be used for blackmail.
Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD stated, “This is a new tactic for blackmailing people. This law is specifically designed to intimidate Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu.” He argued that this is a recurring pattern with the ruling party, pointing to examples of chief ministers being imprisoned and later acquitted, such as Hemant Soren and Arvind Kejriwal. He asserted that the law is intended to weaken democratic institutions.
Tejashwi further claimed that the BJP, after failing to secure its desired 400 seats, is now reliant on Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu. He suggested that the law is meant to prevent them from switching sides, especially considering the investigations against Naidu by various agencies. He accused the BJP of regularly using new laws to blackmail people, and that this specific law will make it easier for them. He claimed that the BJP is working with anti-national forces to undermine democracy.
He also highlighted that under this law, even an inspector could arrest a chief minister and detain them for 30 days, potentially leading to the loss of the chief minister’s position. He described it as a move to weaken democracy and disregard the constitution.