Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s stance on the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, recalling how Gandhi had torn an ordinance brought by the UPA government in 2013 to protect convicted lawmakers.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, Shah asked whether Gandhi’s definition of morality had changed after consecutive electoral defeats.
“Why did Rahul Ji tear the ordinance that Manmohan Singh brought to protect Lalu Ji? If there was morality that day, then what happened now? Morality’s standards are not linked to election victories or losses — they should remain steady like the Sun and Moon,” Shah said.
The 2013 ordinance, intended to give convicted MPs and MLAs a three-month reprieve, was later withdrawn. Shah contrasted that incident with the opposition’s current resistance to the amendment bill, which seeks to remove any Prime Minister, Chief Minister, or Minister detained for 30 consecutive days on charges punishable with at least five years’ imprisonment.
Defending the bill, Shah argued that no constitutional authority should continue in office while behind bars.
“In this country today, most CMs are from the NDA and the Prime Minister too. This bill doesn’t target only the opposition. If a case is fake, the High Court and Supreme Court can grant bail. But can a Prime Minister or Chief Minister run the government from jail? Is it appropriate for our democracy?” he asked.
Citing his own arrest in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh case, Shah said he had resigned immediately upon receiving a summons and did not hold any constitutional post until the charges were quashed. “What lessons on morality is the opposition teaching me?” he remarked.
The INDIA bloc has criticised the bill, calling it an attempt by the Modi government to weaken opposition parties and allow the ruling side to topple elected governments. Shah, however, accused them of wanting to “run governments from jail,” citing the cases of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, who did not resign despite arrests.
“This new tradition came recently. Earlier, leaders would resign after being accused and re-enter politics only after acquittal. Now some leaders want to make jail into CM House or PM House. Can a country be run this way?” Shah asked.
The Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, proposes that if a Prime Minister, Chief Minister, or Minister is detained for 30 consecutive days, their office will automatically fall vacant on the 31st day if they do not resign. However, the bill allows for re-appointment after release.
Shah expressed confidence that the bill would pass in Parliament. “Many in Congress and the opposition will support morality and maintain the moral ground,” he said.
The amendment bill, along with the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and an amendment to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, has been referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee for review.
