"Draconian Act": Congress Slams Centre Over Constitution Amendment Bill

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Wednesday criticised the 130th Constitution Amendment Bill that sought to allow the removal of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and ministers if they were held on serious criminal charges.

The Congress leader accused the ruling BJP of using its majority in Parliament to push through the bill with the intention of targeting the opposition. He called the move "draconian" and politically motivated.

The 130th Constitution Amendment Bill seeks to remove the Prime Minister or Chief Ministers who are facing allegations of corruption or serious offences and have been detained for 30 consecutive days.

Speaking to ANI, the Congress leader called the bill a political weapon and said, "The intention of the ruling side to pass this bill using its majority is not right. This will be used as a tool to target the opposition. This is a draconian act."

He further questioned the timing of the bill, linking it to ongoing debates over the allegation on the Election Commission of 'vote theft'.

"At a time when questions are rising against the Election Commission, there is panic in the ruling party, and this issue has now been raised to divert attention from it?" Adhir Ranjan told ANI.

Earlier in the day, slamming the BJP government over the introduction of the 130th Constitution Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said that legislation, if passed, will allow the ruling party at the Centre to register false cases against Chief Ministers of the opposition parties and it will shake the democratic foundations of the country.

In a post on X, Mr Stalin said that the BJP Government has decided to "defile" the Constitution."The 130th Constitutional Amendment is not reform -- this is a Black Day and this is a Black Bill. 30-day arrest = Removal of an elected CM. No trial, no conviction -- just BJP's DIKTAT. This is how DICTATORSHIPS begin: Steal votes, Silence rivals and Crush States," wrote Mr Stalin while condemning the bill.

The Tamil Nadu CM pointed out that the introduction of the said bill is the BJP's government diversion tactic to bring the bill at a time when it is facing allegations over "vote theft".

"After the expose of #VoteTheft, the very mandate on which the Union BJP Government was formed is in serious question. Its legitimacy is doubtful. Having stolen the mandate of the people through fraud, the BJP is now desperate to distract public attention from this expose. To do that, they have brought in the 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill," he said.

Expressing faith in the judiciary, CM Stalin said that the Constitution Amendment bill will be struck down by the courts.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, to further amend the Constitution of India and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, apart from the bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. He also proposed sending the bllls to a joint committee of Parliament. 

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