Centre aims to destabilise opposition by bringing bills on removal of CMs: Cong

New Delhi, Aug 19 (PTI) The Congress on Tuesday alleged the BJP-led Union government intends to bring laws to destabilise the opposition by getting its chief ministers arrested by "biased" central agencies and remove them from the post soon after their "arbitrary" arrest.

The allegation came following reports that the government is planning to introduce three bills in Parliament on Wednesday for the removal of a prime minister, a Union minister, a chief minister or a minister of a state or Union Territory when arrested or detained on serious criminal charges.

Congress senior spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the ruling party wishes to bring such a law to remove opposition chief ministers after failing to defeat them electorally.

"What a vicious circle! No guidelines for arrest followed! Arrests of opposition leaders rampant and disproportionate," he said on X.

Singhvi also said the proposed law removes an incumbent chief minister immediately upon arrest.

"Best way to destabilise opposition is to unleash biased central agencies to arrest opposition CMs and, despite being unable to defeat them electorally, remove them by arbitrary arrests!! And no ruling party incumbent CM ever touched!!," the senior Congress leader said.

The Congress' Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, said the bills are aimed at diverting people's attention from Rahul Gandhi's 'Vote Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar.

"The bills of Home Minister Amit Shah are nothing but a desperate attempt to divert the attention of the public away from the blistering Vote Adhikar Yatra of Rahul Gandhi. First, the CSDS-BJP IT cell drama and now these bills. Clearly, the winds of change are blowing in Bihar," Gogoi said in a post on X.

The three bills that the Centre plans to introduce are 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.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will also move a motion in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday to refer these three bills to a joint committee of Parliament.

According to the statement of objects and reasons of the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill 2025, there is no provision under the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963 (20 of 1963) for the removal of the chief minister or a minister arrested and detained in custody on account of serious criminal charges. PTI SKC NSD NSD