Amit Shah Reminds Congress of His 2010 Resignation Amid 'Morality' Row in Lok Sabha
New Delhi, August 20, 2025 (NDTV):
A heated debate broke out in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday over a set of new bills mandating the resignation of elected representatives arrested for serious offences. The exchange saw Congress leader KC Venugopal questioning Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s “morality”, prompting a sharp rebuttal.
Venugopal’s Attack
Soon after the bills were introduced, KC Venugopal alleged that the legislation was an attempt to “sabotage the federal system” and undermine constitutional principles.
He asked Amit Shah directly:
“When he was the Home Minister of Gujarat, he was arrested. Did he uphold morality at that time?”
Amit Shah’s Counter
Responding strongly, Shah said the allegations against him in 2010 were “fake” but stressed that he had set an example by stepping down:
“I abided by morality and ethics and not only resigned but did not accept any constitutional post until I was cleared of all charges. I had resigned before I was arrested. We cannot be so shameless that we continue to hold posts while facing serious charges.”
The Bills in Question
Earlier in the day, Amit Shah introduced three bills:
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Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025
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Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025
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Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025
The proposals make it mandatory for the Prime Minister, Union ministers, chief ministers, and state ministers to resign within 30 days of being arrested in cases that carry a jail term of at least five years. Failure to do so would result in automatic removal.
The move comes against the backdrop of cases where leaders like Arvind Kejriwal and V Senthil Balaji remained in office despite their arrests.
Opposition Pushback
The opposition, however, has raised alarm:
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Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called the bills “draconian” and said they could be misused to topple opposition governments:
“Tomorrow, you can put any case on a chief minister, arrest him for 30 days without conviction, and he ceases to be CM. This is anti-constitutional and undemocratic.”
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Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM) alleged that the bills were part of a plan to turn India into a “police state”:
“This bill is unconstitutional. The BJP is forgetting that power is not eternal.”
Next Steps
The bills have been referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), which will present its report in the next session. Shah assured that the opposition would get full opportunity to present its objections before the panel.
