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Legislative bills

Union Home Minister Lashes Out at Opposition's Protests over Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Union Home Minister has strongly opposed the 'Black Bill' protests launched by the Opposition parties against the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, stating that both he and the BJP completely reject the idea that the country cannot be governed without the person who has been jailed. He questioned whether a Prime Minister, Chief Minister, or any leader could run the country from jail. The Bill aims to make it mandatory for the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and Ministers to resign if they are jailed for more than 30 days for offences that attract a jail term of over five years.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Union Home Minister rejected the idea that the country cannot be governed without the person who has been jailed, stating that a Prime Minister, Chief Minister, or any leader cannot run the country from jail.
  • The Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill makes it mandatory for the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and Ministers to resign if they are jailed for more than 30 days for offences that attract a jail term of over five years.
  • The Home Minister stated that the Prime Minister himself has included the post of PM under the Bill, citing the example of Indira Gandhi's 39th amendment.
  • The Bill will be sent to a joint committee of both Houses, where everyone can share their opinion and express their views during voting, which requires a two-thirds majority.
  • The Opposition's protests in the Lok Sabha while tabling the bill were deemed inappropriate by the Home Minister, who asked whether it is democratic to stop the presentation of a bill in the Lok Sabha.
  • The Home Minister accused the Congress of double standards, citing the example of the UPA government's ordinance to protect convicted MPs and the current support for RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav in Bihar despite previous opposition to similar cases.

Statistics:

  • The removal of a Prime Minister, Chief Minister, or Minister from office can only be done if they are jailed for more than 30 days for offences that attract a jail term of over five years.
  • The Bill will require a two-thirds majority in both Houses to pass, after being examined by a joint committee of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members.
  • The ordinance introduced by the UPA government during the Manmohan Singh government to protect convicted MPs would not have resulted in the cancellation of a member's membership until the appeal process was complete.

Sources:

  • ANI
  • aninews.in
  • SyndiGate Media Inc.

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