Kolkata, Aug 20 (PTI) TMC's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday alleged that the new bills, which provide for the removal of the PM or chief ministers arrested on serious criminal charges, were an attempt by the Modi government to retain power without accountability.
Addressing a press conference in Kolkata, Banerjee claimed that the bills were no more than a "gimmick" as the Centre was trying to divert attention from its "failure to push through" the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which has now "met roadblocks at the Supreme Court".
"We will be the first to support the bills. In fact, we urge the government to reduce the jail term of ministers from 30 days to 15 days, as proposed. But the government must add the clause that if the persecuted minister is not proven guilty on the 16th day, then the investigating officers of the agency concerned and its top bosses will have to go to jail for double the time they hold the leader in jail in the name of conducting a probe," he said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill 2025, the Constitution (One Hundred And Thirtieth Amendment) Bill 2025, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2025 in Lok Sabha.
The bills have proposed that if the prime minister, union ministers or chief ministers are arrested and detained in custody for 30 consecutive days for offences that attract a jail term of at least five years, they will lose their job on the 31st day.
Banerjee said the bills require a two-thirds majority of members in both Houses for their passage since they aim to amend the Constitution, but will never be passed in Parliament since the BJP lacks the necessary numbers.
"The intention behind moving the bills was to enable the BJP to retain power, money and control over the nation, but without shouldering accountability. That's why they will never include the accountability clause we ask for in the bills. The people of India have successfully stopped it from going through," he claimed.
Amid opposition uproar, the draft laws were referred to a Joint Committee of Parliament, comprising 21 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha.
Banerjee alleged that the home minister acted like a "coward" in tabling the bills with the aid of 20 marshals.