New Delhi [India], August 25 : Union Minister for Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal, on Monday defended the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, calling it a step towards "good governance".
Speaking to ANI, Meghwal said that the public wants the Constitutional Amendment to remove the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers and Ministers from office if jailed for more than 30 days for a serious offence.
"While introducing the Bill, Home Minister Amit Shah proposed a Joint Parliamentary Committee. If any minister, Chief Minister or even the Prime Minister is involved in an offence that attracts a jail term of over five years, and is jailed for 30 days, how will the state be governed? This is a step towards good governance, but was opposed by the Opposition. This is a progressive law and the public wants it," he said.
Meghwal accused the Opposition of misleading the direction of the debate while opposing the Bill.
He said, "The Opposition is taking the debate in the wrong direction. They said that if they were apprehended for a political protest and charged under a certain section...there is no provision for a punishment for five years in such cases."
He claimed that some Opposition parties are planning not to send their members to the JPC and slammed Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for opposing the Centre's reforms.
"The Bill has been sent to a JPC, let the discussion happen. I am hearing that some Opposition parties are planning not to send their members to the JPC. You (Opposition) always demand a JPC for scrutiny. Some members of the Opposition, including Rahul Gandhi, have decided that they will oppose even the good reforms by the Narendra Modi-led government. They should read the law properly," Meghwal told ANI.
Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah lashed out at the 'Black Bill' protests against the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill by Opposition parties and stated that both he and the BJP "completely reject" the idea that the country "cannot be governed without the person" who has been jailed.
He asked whether a Prime Minister, Chief Minister, or any leader could run the country from jail.
Parliament witnessed protests with Opposition terming the legislation as "unconstitutional" alleging that it was a way for the ruling BJP to misuse central agencies, frame non-BJP Chief Ministers, put them in jail and destabilise State governments.
In an interview with ANI, Amit Shah said, "I want to ask the entire nation and the Opposition... Can a Chief Minister, Prime Minister, or any leader run the country from jail? Does that suit the dignity of our democracy?"
"Even today, they are trying that if they ever have to go to jail, they will easily form the government from jail. 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. My party and I completely reject the idea that this country cannot be governed without the person who is sitting there. This will not affect anyone's majority in the Parliament or the Assembly. One member will go, other members of the party will run the government, and when they get bail, they can come and take the oath again. What is the objection in this?" he said.
A Joint Committee comprising members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, cutting across party lines, to be appointed by the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Rajya Sabha chairperson, will jointly examine the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill.