NEW DELHI: Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday shot off a barbed response to Union home minister
Amit Shah’s recent interview, in which the BJP leader defended the government's 130th constitutional amendment bill.
The bill proposes the removal of lawmakers detained or arrested for more than 30 days in cases carrying a punishment of five years or more.
In the interview with news agency ANI, Shah asked if it was "fair for ministers, chief ministers or even the prime minister—accused of corruption or facing charges with more than five years’ punishment -- to run the government from jail?"
Responding to the Union home minister's question, Kejriwal posed a counter question asking: "And what about a leader who inducts hardened criminals into his party, helps them wipe off their cases, and then rewards them with positions like minister, deputy chief minister, or even chief minister—should such a minister or prime minister not also be forced to step down? How many years of imprisonment should such a person face?"
The AAP convenor further asked: "Finally, if someone is falsely implicated in a case, sent to jail, and later acquitted, how many years of jail should the minister responsible for framing that false case get?"
Kerjiwal had refused to step down as Delhi CM when he was jailed over the alleged scam linked to the scrapped Delhi liquor policy and continued to serve as chief minister from Tihar jail.
Referring to the incident, Shah said: "When the constitution was made, the constitution makers would not have imagined such shamelessness that any CM would go to jail and remain the CM from jail."
Shah said Kejriwal continued to serve as CM as the Delhi high court ruled that there was no provision in the law to remove him from the post.
"When the case went to the high court, it was argued that Arvind Kejriwal should resign because he is in jail. The high Court said that we believe that he should resign on moral grounds but there is no provision in the current law. My party believes, the Prime Minister of the country believes that no CM, minister or PM in this country can run the government while being in jail," the Union home minister said.
Kejriwal attacked Amit Shah over his statement, saying his 160-day government from jail was better than the current BJP-led Delhi government.
"When the Centre conspired to frame me in false cases and sent me to jail, I ran the government for 160 days from behind bars. In the past seven months, the BJP government in Delhi has dragged the city into such a mess that people now recall those jail days of governance. At least back then, the power and water were available, medicines were free in hospitals and mohalla clinics, medical tests were free, one spell of rain didn’t throw the city into chaos, and private schools weren’t given a free hand to extort and bully parents," the ex-Delhi CM said.
BJP's national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla lashed out at Kejriwal over his remark, saying: "During Covid we worked from home. Now they want 'Work from Jail' for the 1st time in India. Can a CM hold meetings from prison? Where will public hearings be held — inside jail rooms? How will we cope if their is any emergency? This fails both on morality and practicality."
In the interview, Shah also expressed confidence that the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, will be passed, despite the opposition's fierce criticism.
Shah said it's aimed at upholding "constitutional morality" and public trust, emphasising that the bill would apply equally to all leaders, including those from the ruling party.
"I am sure it will be passed. There will be many people in the Congress party and in the opposition who will support morality and maintain the moral ground," he said.
"The Prime Minister himself has included the post of PM in this... Earlier, Indira Gandhi had brought the 39th amendment (of protecting the President, VP, PM, and Speaker from judicial review by Indian courts)...Narendra Modi ji has brought a constitutional amendment against himself that if the Prime Minister goes to jail, he will have to resign," Shah added.
Currently, the bill has been referred to a JPC for detailed scrutiny, comprising 31 members from both houses of Parliament. The committee will examine the bill and provide recommendations before it is put to vote.
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