‘If jailed clerk can lose job, why not PM’: In Bihar rally, Modi defends bills on sacking jailed minister
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‘If jailed clerk can be suspended, why not PM’: In Bihar rally, Modi defends bills on sacking ministers in jail
Prime Minister Narendra Modi defended the constitution amendment bill recently introduced in the parliament that gives the centre the power to sack any jailed minister. Modi said that if a government employee is jailed for 50 hours, they are suspended from their jobs. He asked why a similar rule should not apply to the PM, CM, or ministers. The bill seeks to remove the Prime Minister or chief ministers facing corruption or serious offence charges if they remain in detention for 30 consecutive days. Opposition MPs raised a huge uproar in the Lok Sabha as Shah sought to table the bills.
Speaking at a rally in Bihar’s Gayaji, PM Modi said that if a government employee is jailed for 50 hours, they are suspended from their jobs. He asked why a similar rule should not apply to the PM, CM, or ministers.
“… If a government employee is imprisoned for 50 hours, then he is suspended automatically, be it a driver, a clerk or a peon. But a CM, a Minister, or even a PM can enjoy staying in the government even from jail,” Modi said at the rally.
Modi said that the NDA government has brought a law against corruption, and that the Prime Minister also comes under its purview.
“Some time ago, we saw how files were being signed from jail and how government orders were given from jail. If leaders have such an attitude, how can we fight corruption… The NDA government has brought a law against corruption, and the Prime Minister also comes under its purview,” he said.
The contentious bills
Union home minister Amit Shah on Tuesday introduced three bills in the Lower House, including the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025. The bill seeks to remove the Prime Minister or chief ministers facing corruption or serious offence charges if they remain in detention for 30 consecutive days.
Shah also tabled the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
Since these bills allow action based on mere allegations without requiring proven guilt, the Opposition has called them violative of the Constitution. The fear is that they will give the centre the power to remove any sitting chief minister or minister by jailing them using central agencies like the ED and CBI.
The reference to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), which was already on the government’s agenda, was made after Opposition MPs raised a huge uproar in the Lok Sabha as Shah sought to table the bills.
In this case, the committee has been mandated to submit its report to the House by the last day of the first week of the next session, which pushes the matter by around three months.
The next session is likely to be convened in the third week of November.