Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday sharply criticized the BJP regarding the 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill. He termed it a 'legislative Trojan Horse' and alleged that through this bill, democratic rights at both central and state levels are being undermined.
New Delhi: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge launched a b attack on the BJP on Monday, expressing serious concerns about the proposed bill. This bill provides for the removal of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and ministers if they spend 30 days under arrest. Kharge criticized it, stating it would diminish the importance of elections and pose a threat to democratic rights.
He stated that the 130th Constitutional Amendment would, in a way, weaken the electoral rights of ordinary citizens and candidates, and he labeled it a 'legislative Trojan Horse'.
130th Constitutional Amendment: What is the Issue?
According to Kharge, while the objective of this bill appears legitimate on the surface, its true purpose is to strip away the democratic rights and franchise enshrined in the Constitution by the BJP-RSS. He stated that through this bill, it is proposed to remove the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and ministers from their posts if they are arrested for serious criminal charges and remain in custody for 30 days.
The Congress chief termed this bill a threat to electoral democracy, stating, "The 130th Constitutional Amendment is a weapon that can be used to overthrow elected governments. If a Chief Minister or Prime Minister faces corruption or other serious charges and remains in jail for 30 days, they will legally have to step down from their post."
Attack on Franchise in the Name of Reform
Kharge alleged that over the past 11 years, the BJP and RSS have attempted to weaken Indian democracy. He claimed that the BJP is directly reaching out to voters, and electoral irregularities are being incorporated constitutionally in the name of reform. He stated, "This bill could endanger the crucial franchise rights present in our Constitution."
He referenced events from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar to Rahul Gandhi's 'vote theft' revelations, stating that the BJP has consistently adopted strategies to undermine electoral integrity.
What is a 'Trojan Horse'?
Kharge compared the 130th Constitutional Amendment to a 'Trojan Horse' from the world of computer software. In computers, a Trojan Horse is a type of malware that appears safe and normal on the surface but, once inside, completely harms the system. Similarly, Kharge states that this bill also appears correct from the outside but harbors a dangerous objective of harming democratic institutions and elected governments.
Kharge said, "This bill weakens democracy. It makes one wonder why bother with elections when you can legally remove elected Chief Ministers within 30 days." On the occasion of International Day of Democracy, the Congress President shared a long message stating that all political parties and citizens must collectively protect the Constitution and democracy. He described it as a pledge to save them from the clutches of the RSS-BJP.
