TMC leader Saket Gokhale.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Trinamool Congress MPs on Wednesday accused the government of bringing new bills to allow the CBI and ED to "directly topple" state governments.
The remarks came as the government is planning to introduce three bills in Parliament on Wednesday for the removal of a prime minister, a Union minister, a chief minister or a minister of a state or Union Territory when arrested or detained on serious criminal charges for 30 days in a row.
If any one of them is arrested and detained in custody for consecutive 30 days for offences that attract a jail term of at least five years, they will lose their job on the 31st day.
These bills are 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.
Flaying the bills, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale charged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are looking for "new tricks" to topple state governments.
In a post on X, Gokhale charged, "When vote-chori is exposed, Modi-Shah looking for new tricks. New Bill being brought today to allow CBI-ED to directly topple state govts for the BJP".
"A person is a criminal only when convicted by a court of law. Until then, they're an "accused". You can't remove a CM/Minister on mere accusation.Arrest by Modi-Shah's Central Agencies is not proof of guilt," he said.
"Interesting fact: In the last 11 years, zero arrests of any Union/State ministers of BJP. All arrests only of Opposition leaders," he added.
TMC Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra said the bill bypasses both federal structure and judiciary.
"Opposition predictions come true- Constitution being changed by BJP with only 240 MPs. New bill bypasses both federal structure & judiciary - Union govt can use ED CBI to arrest elected opposition CM on fake charges and sack them without proven guilty by a court," she said in a post on X.
In a post on X late on Tuesday night, TMC Rajya Sabha Leader Derek O'Brien said, "In the dead of night, more stunts from the shaky 239 seat Modi coalition as they look for more ways to mock and disrupt parliament".
"Instead of fulfilling its constitutional responsibility, this government is solely interested in amassing power, wealth and control without any accountability. We strongly condemn this authoritarian attitude and oppose the introduction of this draconian constitutional amendment bill," Banerjee said in an X post.
He accused the BJP of "selling" the Constitution, and claimed that one vote for it is nothing less than “selling the soul of India” and allowing the country to be run as private property.
“The Union Government, despite having the support of the Opposition parties and the entire nation, still lacks the courage to reclaim PoJK. It beats its chest with hollow rhetoric, but when it comes to defending India’s sovereignty, protecting our borders and acting firmly against our enemies, it shows no real resolve,” the TMC national general secretary claimed.
The MP, considered number 2 in the party after Mamata Banerjee, alleged that the government wants to bring in laws that target opposition leaders, crush democracy and manipulate the people's mandate by toppling state governments.
"This government has proven itself to be anti-people, anti-farmer, anti-poor, anti-SC, anti-ST, anti-OBC, anti-federal, and above all anti-India," Banerjee said.
"The India built on the ideals of Gandhi and Ambedkar will not surrender its soul to dictators and power-hungry rulers," the Diamond Harbour MP asserted.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will also move a motion in the Lok Sabha to refer these three bills to a Joint Committee of Parliament.