Rahul Gandhi criticizes PM, CM removal bills: “Taking the country back to medieval times”

The three bills seek the removal of a sitting Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and ministers if they remain under arrest for 30 consecutive days on charges carrying a minimum punishment of five years in jail.

On Wednesday, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi criticised the new bills seeking the removal of a sitting Prime Minister, chief ministers, and ministers in states and Union Territories, saying the move signalled that India was being pushed back to medieval times.

Rahul Gandhi, addressing the media this evening, said, “We are being pushed back to medieval times when kings could arbitrarily remove anyone they wished. The idea of an elected representative holds no meaning anymore—if they don’t like you, they use the ED to frame a case, and within 30 days a democratically chosen leader is gone.”

The three proposed legislations — the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, which includes provisions for the Prime Minister, states and Delhi NCT; the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill; and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill — seek to disqualify sitting leaders from these posts if they are under arrest for more than 30 days on charges carrying a minimum punishment of five years in prison.

The Opposition has strongly objected to the proposed legislations, arguing that they allow punitive action based on mere allegations rather than proven guilt.

Rahul Gandhi’s criticism came just hours after the government referred the bills to a Joint Parliamentary Committee. Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the three bills in Parliament, sparking uproar from the Opposition.

In protest, Opposition MPs tore up copies of the bills, while several members stormed into the well of the House, raising slogans.

Those voicing opposition include AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, Congress leaders Manish Tewari and K. C. Venugopal, and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Condemning the move, Banerjee tweeted, “I denounce this as a step that goes beyond a super-Emergency — an attempt to permanently end India’s democratic era. This draconian measure is a death knell for both democracy and federalism in the country.”