Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday raised questions over Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi’s moral stance, asking whether it has changed after losing three consecutive elections.
Referring to a 2013 incident, Shah said that Rahul Gandhi had ‘torn’ an ordinance brought by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to benefit RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav, and questioned as to why the Congress leader was now opposing the ‘criminal netas’ bill.
“Why did Rahul Ji tear the ordinance that Manmohan Singh brought to protect Lalu Ji? 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,” Shah said in an interview with news agency ANI.
Shah was referring to an ordinance that gave convicted lawmakers a three-month relief to retain their seats, a move that was brought in after Lalu Prasad Yadav’s conviction in the Fodder Scam case. The ordinance effectively negated the Supreme Court’s order on the disqualification of convicted MPs and MLAs and was later withdrawn.
Shah spoke about the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks the removal of any Prime Minister, Chief Minister, or Minister detained for 30 consecutive days, and questioned whether it was “fair” that anyone in any of these constitutional posts should be allowed to run the government from prison.
“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,” the home minister said.
He also asked whether it would be right if the PM of the country or a CM runs the government from jail in case of imprisonment.
“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,” Shah said.
He added, “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.”
‘I resigned the very next day’: Shah
Shah also recalled how he resigned the very next day the Central Bureau of Investigation summoned him in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case.
He also said that he did not hold any constitutional post until he was proved innocent.
“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 oath and become the Home Minister again. Not only this, I did not take oath for any constitutional post until all the charges against me were completely quashed. What lessons on morality is the opposition teaching me?” Amit Shah said.
He accused the opposition of wanting to “run the government from jail”.
He said that during former PM Indira Gandhi’s tenure, the opposition tried to shield the prime minister, and even in the present day, they are trying that if any INDIA bloc leader goes to jail, they will easily form the government from there.
“The jail will be made CM House, PM House and the DGP, Chief Secretary, Cabinet Secretary or Home Secretary will take orders from the jail, Can a country be run this way?” Shah asked.
Amit Shah introduced the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and a bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, during the monsoon session of Parliament. All three bills were sent to the joint committee of the Parliament.
In case of the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks the removal of the PM, CM, or any minister detained for 30 straight days, the office will automatically fall vacant after 31 days if the arrested leader does not resign. The bill allows for the re-appointment post-release, providing a degree of flexibility.