BJP Defends Bill to Oust Imprisoned Leaders Amid Opposition Criticism

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Thursday staunchly defended the introduction of bills allowing the removal of elected representatives who remain in jail for more than 30 days on serious criminal charges. As opposition parties criticized the move, Dubey countered by questioning whether jailed officials should retain their positions, referencing past instances where leaders resigned on moral grounds.

Dubey specifically mentioned cases like that of Amit Shah, who resigned as Gujarat's Home Minister following his arrest, choosing not to hold any office until acquitted. He also cited Uma Bharti's resignation as Karnataka CM and L.K. Advani's decision to step down as MP during the Hawala case as notable examples.

As debates continue, Dubey asserts the opposition, particularly the Congress, misuses political maneuvers, recalling their history of jailing opposition figures. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah moved to send related bills to a Joint Committee amid heated exchanges in Parliament, underscoring the legislative battlelines over this contentious issue.

(With inputs from agencies.)