'Going back to medieval times': Rahul Gandhi on Centre's bill to 'remove arrested PM, CMs and ministers'

New Delhi/IBNS: "We are going back to medieval times," remarked Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in response to the Centre's new bill that aims for a removal of the Prime Minister or a Chief Minister or any central or state minister who is arrested for 30 days on a criminal charge.
Rahul suggested the bill, if it becomes law, can be used for political vendetta by the ruling party.
Speaking at the felicitation programme of INDIA bloc's Vice-Presidential candidate, retired Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy, the Congress MP said, " We are going back to medieval times when the king could just remove anybody at will. There was no concept of what an elected person is.
"He doesn't like someone's face, so he tells ED to file a case and then a democratically elected person is wiped out within 30 days... This is new."
We are going back to medieval times... pic.twitter.com/jiZOSysbue
— Congress (@INCIndia) August 20, 2025
A massive chaos broke out in the Lok Sabha after Union Home Minister Amit Shah tabled the bill on Wednesday.
The opposition parliamentarians raised slogans, tore the bill's copies and threw in front of the Home Minister opposing the government.
Congress MP Manish Tiwari said, "This bill is squarely destructive to the basic structure of the Constitution."
While the opposition MPs allege the bill is being brought in a hurry, Shah denied such a claim.
The bill will be sent to the joint parliamentary panel.
Laid the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha. pic.twitter.com/wsohG2UP6x
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) August 20, 2025
What is the bill about?
The bill will ensure the removal of elected representatives arrested or detained on serious criminal charges from office on Wednesday.
The proposed law will cover the Prime Minister, Union ministers, Chief Ministers, and ministers of Union Territories.
Besides this, two other bills- 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- could be moved to a parliamentary committee.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra calls it 'draconian bill'
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "I see the bill for the removal of CMs and ministers as a completely draconian thing. To say it as an anti-corruption measure, is just to pull a veil across the eyes of the people.
"Tomorrow, you can put any kind of a case on a CM, have him arrested for 30 days without conviction, and he ceases to be a Chief Minister. It is absolutely wrong, anti-constitutional, undemocratic and very unfortunate."
I see the bill for the removal of CMs and ministers as a completely draconian thing.
— Congress (@INCIndia) August 20, 2025
To say it as an anti-corruption measure, is just to pull a veil across the eyes of the people. Tomorrow, you can put any kind of a case on a CM, have him arrested for 30 days without conviction,… pic.twitter.com/QlQEFE4BpM