HM expresses confidence bill will be passed in Parl
*V-P resigned due to health issues
NEW DELHI, Aug 25:
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has raised questions over the moral stance of Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, asking whether it has shifted after losing three consecutive elections.
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Shah referred to the incident in 2013 when Gandhi had ‘torn’ an ordinance brought by then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to reprieve RJD’s Lalu Prasad Yadav, contrasting it with his current resistance to the proposed bill to remove the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and Cabinet Ministers jailed for more than 30 days.
In an interview to a news agency, Shah said, “Why did Rahul tear the ordinance that Manmohan Singh brought to protect Lalu? If there was morality that day, then what happened now? Just because you have lost three consecutive elections? Morality’s standards are not connected with victory or loss in elections. They should be steady like the Sun and the Moon.”
The ordinance gave convicted lawmakers a three-month reprieve to retain their seats following Lalu Prasad Yadav’s conviction in the fodder scam. It effectively negated a Supreme Court order on the disqualification of convicted MPs and MLAs and was later withdrawn.
Speaking about the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks the removal of any PM, Chief Minister, or Minister detained for 30 consecutive days, Shah questioned whether it is “fair” that anyone in these Constitutional posts should run the Government from jail.
“In this country today, the number of NDA CMs is more. The PM is also from the NDA. So this bill does not raise questions only for the opposition. This raises questions for our CMs as well… There is a provision for bail for 30 days. If it is a fake type of case, then the country’s High Court and Supreme Court are not sitting with their eyes closed. The High Court and Supreme Court have the right to grant bail in any case. If bail is not granted, then you will have to leave the post. I want to ask the people of the country and the Opposition, can a Chief Minister, a Prime Minister, or a Minister run their Government from the jail? Is it appropriate for the democracy of the country?” Shah asked.
“Right now, Narendra Modi is there, so there is no question of it. But if the Prime Minister of the country goes to jail, do you think it is right that the Prime Minister or the Chief Minister runs the Government from jail? Is there such a belief in this country that the country will not run without the person sitting in the post? Your party has the majority, so someone from your party will come and run the Government. When you get bail, you must go there… Why should we lose membership (of Parliament) after two years? During the Congress rule, there was a provision that if there is an order of imprisonment for more than two years from the Sessions Court, then your membership ends automatically,” he added.
Referring to his arrest in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, Shah said he resigned the very next day the CBI summoned him. He added that he did not hold any Constitutional post until the case was fully quashed.
“As I received the summons from CBI, I resigned the very next day. I was arrested later. The case went on, and the judgment also came that this was a case of political vendetta, and I am completely innocent. That judgment came later, I was granted bail earlier… Even then, I did not take the oath and become the Home Minister again. Not only this, I did not take the oath for any Constitutional post until all the charges against me were completely quashed. What lessons on morality is the opposition teaching me?” Shah said.
Amit Shah exuded confidence that the bill will be passed in the Parliament.
“I am sure it will be passed. There will be many people in the Congress party and in the opposition who will support morality and maintain the moral ground,” he said.
Shah endorsed the NDA’s decision to name Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan as its Vice Presidential candidate, stating that it was only natural that the post was occupied by someone who hails from the southern part of India.
“It was natural that the Vice Presidential candidate comes from South India because the President is from East India and the Prime Minister is from the West and North,” Shah said.
When asked the reasons for NDA naming Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan, a lifelong RSS swayamsevak, as the Vice Presidential candidate, Shah dismissed the speculations that his selection had anything to do with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) trying to curry favours in Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
“We have contested elections in Tamil Nadu before with allies. We have also won seats. If we were to name anyone from anywhere, these kinds of questions will be raised,” Shah said.
“Prime Minister Modi also has a connection with the RSS. I also have a connection (with Sangh). Have people elected us because we are associated with RSS? Is it a minus point to have a connection with RSS? It is not. Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani were also connected with the RSS. Radhakrishnan also has this connection,” the Home Minister said.
Meanwhile, amid growing speculation over former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation, Shah said Dhankhar resigned due to health issues and dismissed the opposition’s claims that he was under “house arrest”. (Agency)
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