Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi refused an exemption for himself as the government framed the bills regarding the removal of PM, CM and ministers if they are jailed for serious offences.
IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a conclave, in New Delhi on August 23, 2025. Photograph: Press Information Bureau
“PM Modi told the cabinet that the recommendation is to keep the prime minister out of this bill, but he did not agree. PM Modi refused to give an exception to the prime minister. The PM is also a citizen, and he should not have special protection. Most of the CMs are from our party. If they do something wrong, they have to leave their position. Ethics should also mean something. The Opposition would have welcomed this bill had they kept ethics at the centre,” Rijiju said.
The remarks come after the Centre introduced three bills earlier this week — 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.
The bills propose that if the prime minister, any Union minister, or a state chief minister is arrested and detained in custody for at least 30 days in relation to an offence carrying a minimum five-year jail term, the person will automatically lose office on the 31st day.
The bills were introduced by Amit Shah amid a storm of Opposition protests and sloganeering that even saw the draft legislation torn up and pieces of paper flung at the Union home minister. The bills were later introduced after a voice vote and sent to a joint parliamentary committee (JPC).
The opposition leaders have called the proposed amendments in the bills as “draconian” and “unconstitutional” and alleged that they would be used to target the chief ministers in opposition-ruled states at the behest of central agencies.
Rijiju also hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying that his own party MPs “get uncomfortable” when he speaks in Parliament and are apprehensive that he will do anap-shanap baatein and the party will have to bear the consequences.
In an interview with ANI, Rijiju alleged that Rahul Gandhi, who is Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, “does not listen to his own party members”.
“Rahul Gandhi kuch bolte hain, unke saare MPs bahot uncomfortable ho jaate hain. Wo darte hain ye anapshanap baatein karenge, uska khamiyaza party ko bhugatna padta hai...(When Rahul Gandhi speaks, his MPs get uncomfortable what nonsense he will speak, the party will have to bear its consequences,” he said.
Rijiju recalled Supreme Court’s remarks over Rahul Gandhi’s “Chowkidar chor” allegations and his being rapped over his remarks pertaining to India-China border tensions during Bharat Jodo Yatra.
“Rahul Gandhi is the LoP and I don’t want to criticise him. The SC scolded him when he called the PM ‘chor’, spoke nonsense regarding Rafael, and claimed that China occupied our land. He should speak like an Indian. I am no one to improve Rahul Gandhi. He will not listen. Whenever Rahul Gandhi says something, all his MPs become very uncomfortable. They are afraid that they will speak nonsense, and the party would have to pay the price for it. In a democracy, the Opposition should be strong… They are not able to perform basic duties of an Opposition, let alone a strong Opposition,” Rijiju said.
“I don’t want to blame other Congress leaders. They have to act as per the directions of their leader. I don’t want to harshly criticise him since he is the Leader of the Opposition..He should talk like an Indian, but he does not listen to anyone. He does not even listen to his own people,” he added.
Rijiju alleged that Congress does not have any interest in parliamentary discussions.
He said many Congress MPs and parliamentarians of other parties came to him and said they were not able to raise issues concerning their constituencies with the two Houses getting repeatedly adjourned, .
“They don’t believe in debate and discussion in the Parliament. Many MPs of the Congress and other parties came to me and said that because the Parliament is not running, they are able to present the concerns of their constituencies. If the Parliament does not run, the loss is for the Opposition. The government will pass the bills in the national interest. But it is not good if the bills are passed without discussion. We believe in discussion… The loss is for those who have to ask questions,” the Union Minister said.
“If Rahul Gandhi cannot speak or he does not know how to speak, that does not mean that others should also not be allowed to speak.” “With folded hands, we have requested the Congress party to participate in the discussion. There are many members of Congress who can speak well and are also knowledgeable. They will face issues if I name anyone… If Rahul Gandhi cannot speak or he does not know how to speak, that does not mean that others should also not be allowed to speak,” he added.
Rijiju noted that in a parliamentary democracy, the Parliament belongs to the Opposition as they can seek answers from the government.
“The government is liable to answer. The Opposition has to ask questions. What would the government do if the ones who are supposed to ask questions ran away? We have been asking them not to cause a disturbance. My throat got sore because I had to shout and ask the Opposition not to create a ruckus,” he said.
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha faced continuous disruptions during the monsoon session over the opposition’s demand for a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar.
With both the Houses witnessing repeated adjournments due to disruptions throughout the session, which concluded on Thursday, the productivity of Lok Sabha was about 31% and that of Rajya Sabha was about 39%. In the Lok Sabha, discussions could happen for only 37 hours out of the total available 120 hours and in the Rajya Sabha, discussions took place for 41 hours and 15 minutes. A total of 15 bills were passed by Parliament during the session.
Answering queries, Rijiju said the session was “successful from the nation’s point of view and a failure from the Opposition’s point of view”.
Rijiju also said the people in the country are welcoming the provisions of the Constitution Amendment Bill introduced in Lok Sabha and the opposition parties would have welcomed it too if they “had kept ethics at the centre.”
The bill provides for the removal of the Prime Minister, Chief Minister or any other Minister in the central or a state government, if he is arrested and detained in custody on account of serious criminal offences. Two more bills to apply similar provisions in Puducherry, and Jammu and Kashmir were also introduced in Lok Sahba. The three bills will be examined by a Joint Parliamentary Committee.
