Opposition tears new amendment bills, throw them near Amit Shah in Parliament

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday witnessed a dramatic and tumultuous session as Home Minister Amit Shah introduced three contentious bills that seek to provide a legal framework for the removal of a Prime Minister, Chief Minister, or minister if they are arrested and held in jail for 30 consecutive days. The introduction of the legislation was met with massive uproar and intense sloganeering from the Opposition parties.

The three pieces of legislation—the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill—were tabled by the Home Minister. The moment the bills were introduced, the opposition benches were up on their feet, raising slogans and protesting vehemently against the government's move.

The protest escalated into a rowdy scene as some opposition leaders tore copies of the bills and threw them into the air. Visuals from the session showed pieces of paper flying and falling near the Home Minister, symbolizing the Opposition's strong disapproval of the proposed laws and their perceived implications.

Opposition leaders have been quick to label the bills as "draconian," claiming that they would be used by the central government to "destabilise" opposition-ruled states. They allege that the government plans to use "biased" central agencies to arbitrarily arrest ministers and chief ministers, with the ultimate goal of removing them from their posts after a month in judicial custody.

The proposed laws aim to fill a current legal vacuum, as there is no existing provision to remove a sitting minister who is accused of a serious crime. According to the new legislation, any Prime Minister, Chief Minister, or minister who is arrested and held in continuous custody for 30 consecutive days on charges carrying a punishment of five years or more will automatically be removed from their office on the 31st day.

Amidst the chaos, Home Minister Amit Shah proposed that the bills be sent to a joint committee for further examination. However, the opposition continued its protest, with Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee and other leaders tearing copies of the legislation and throwing them in a symbolic act of defiance, underscoring the deep political divide over the bills.