Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asked why people holding top posts should be allowed to function from jail, as he justified the laws proposed by his government to remove Prime Ministers, chief ministers and ministers held in custody for 30 consecutive days on serious charges, even without a conviction.
In his first response to the bills, Modi ended up reinforcing the fear expressed by the Opposition that the “unconstitutional and draconian” amendments were aimed at destabilising non-NDA state governments by putting chief ministers and ministers in jail on “fabricated charges”.
“The RJD, Congress and the Left are opposing this law. They are very angry. And, who doesn’t know what they are afraid of?” Modi said at a rally in Bihar’s Gaya after inaugurating and laying the foundation for development projects.
“They (Opposition) think that if they go to jail, then all their dreams will be shattered. They are so rattled that they are opposing a proposed law which is in public interest,” Modi said, indirectly referring to RJD chief Lalu Prasad facing charges in a land-for-job “scam” and Rahul Gandhi being enmeshed in the National Herald money-laundering case.
“We have seen recently how files were being signed and orders passed from prison,” Modi said, hinting at AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal functioning as Delhi chief minister from jail.
Seeking an endorsement from the crowd, he added: “You tell me, shouldn’t those who are jailed step down? Can he continue to occupy the post? Can he continue to sign government files? Can someone run a government from jail?”
The Opposition had torn up copies of the bills and hurled them at home minister Amit Shah.
Modi sought to use the example of government employees getting suspended after being jailed to justify a similar treatment for politicians.
“It’s my clear understanding that for a decisive fight against corruption, no one should be above the law. There is a law that if a government employee is imprisoned for 50 hours, then he is automatically suspended. Be it a driver, a clerk or a peon,” he told the rally in poll-bound Bihar.
“But if someone is a chief minister, a minister, or even a Prime Minister, then he continues to enjoy power even while being in jail. How can this be accepted?” Modi asked.
Modi said the proposed amendments were aimed at upholding the constitutional values of probity in public life. “After the enactment of this law, if any chief minister, minister, or Prime Minister is arrested, they will have to secure bail within 30 days, and if bail is not granted, they will have to resign from their position on the 31st day,” Modi said.
Later in Calcutta, he slammed Trinamool for its stand against the bill, citing the cases of former ministers Partha Chatterjee and Jyoti Priya Mallik.
“A TMC minister is still in jail in connection with the teacher recruitment scam. A heap of currency notes was recovered from his house, yet he refused to step down. Another TMC minister was involved in the ration scam meant for the poor. Property worth crores have been seized, but even after going to jail, he was not ready to resign,” Modi said, without naming Chatterjee and Mallik.
