‘Going Back to Medieval Times’: Rahul Gandhi Slams Bills to Oust Jailed PMs, CMs
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the government over a set of controversial new bills, suggesting that the proposed laws to remove an incarcerated Prime Minister or Chief Minister from office were akin to “going back to medieval times.”
His strong condemnation came shortly after Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced three bills in the Lok Sabha that would trigger the removal of a top elected official after 30 consecutive days in prison on serious criminal charges.
“We are going back to medieval times when the king could just remove anybody at his will,” the Leader of the Opposition said, speaking to the media while wearing a black t-shirt as a mark of protest. He argued that the new provisions would empower the executive to misuse its agencies, saying, “if he didn’t like someone’s face, he could get the ED to get them arrested, and a democratically elected person can be thrown out within 30 days.”
The introduction of the bills—The Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill—plunged the lower house into chaos. Opposition members went on the offensive, shouting slogans and tearing up copies of the legislation in protest.
Rahul Gandhi framed the confrontation in stark terms, declaring, “There is a war going on between those who are attacking the Constitution and those who are defending it.” His comments underscore the deep ideological divide and the fierce political battle that lies ahead as the government pushes forward with what the opposition views as a dangerous and undemocratic move.
