Are Bills to Dismiss Arrested Ministers an Attack on Democracy?

Mumbai, Aug 21 (NationPress) Shiv Sena(UBT) expressed strong disapproval on Thursday regarding the BJP-led government's introduction of three bills aimed at the dismissal of PMs, CMs, and ministers who are arrested or detained on serious criminal charges, labeling it as a direct affront to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar's constitution.

The Thackeray faction, in a scathing editorial within the party's official publication, 'Saamana', accused the government of proposing these bills as a means to conceal its corruption and wrongdoings, which they claim are becoming apparent due to rising opposition unity and public dissent.

According to the editorial, “This is treason. This is a facade. These bills are intended to dismantle democracy and personal freedoms in India, pushing the nation toward dictatorship, and thus, they deserve to be destroyed.”

The Thackeray faction further scrutinized the government's motives, arguing their integrity is questionable. “The Modi-Shah duo has devised this new mechanism to imprison political adversaries. We must regard these bills as a fresh wave of tyranny, despotism, and cruelty. The practice of arresting Chief Ministers began during the Modi-Shah era, as evidenced by the arrest of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren by the ED within the Raj Bhavan premises. He was apprehended at a time when he was attempting to resign from his position. Why the rush?”

The editorial also highlighted, “Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested in relation to an alleged liquor scam, yet he continued to govern from Tihar Jail for a significant duration. DMK Minister Senthil Balaji faced arrest by the ED in Tamil Nadu, but Chief Minister Stalin refrained from accepting Balaji's resignation immediately. Following Balaji's release, he was reinstated in the cabinet. Under these new bills, however, ministers and Chief Ministers will be obligated to resign upon arrest.”

Furthermore, the Thackeray camp accused HM Amit Shah of potentially using the threat posed by these bills to coerce the entire government into aligning with the BJP through the notion of 'Aya Ram'.

The party's editorial urged citizens to raise their voices against these measures, stating, “We must unveil the new terrorism in India on an international stage. Amit Shah is preparing to arrest opposition leaders in the guise of morality. Shah and Devendra Fadnavis had previously asserted that those involved in corruption would face imprisonment, yet ironically, they now associate with such figures. What sort of morality is Shah espousing? Will the scandals linked to Assam Chief Minister Hemant Biswa Sarma and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Shinde be measured by different standards?”

“Eknath Shinde has appropriated five thousand acres of land from impoverished project victims in Raigad district, accruing billions of rupees in the process. The central government will suppress these crimes. This is an affront to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar's constitution.”

The Thackeray faction concluded by stating that those advocating for culture and morality are often the most corrupt. “In the current Modi regime, those embodying cruelty and despotism preach about democracy and individual freedoms. To address corrupt leaders, PM Modi and Amit Shah are pushing for a new Constitution Amendment Bill. Those facing serious charges will be compelled to vacate their offices following an arrest. After a thirty-day detention for a serious case, they will be obligated to resign. If they fail to do so, such ministers will be removed by the President's directive. The ruling party claims these bills are intended to uphold political morality. But who are these bills truly meant for?”