'What if they're acquitted later?' Kejriwal questions 'criminal netas bill'
What's the story
Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has hit back at Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his defense of the proposed law to remove ministers. The proposed legislation seeks to disqualify lawmakers who are jailed for over 30 days in cases carrying a punishment of five years or more. In an interview with news agency ANI, Shah, indirectly referring to Kejriwal, asked if it was fair for high-ranking officials accused of serious crimes to run the government from jail.
Bill scrutiny
Shah questions opposers
"I want to ask the entire nation and the Opposition. Can a chief minister, prime minister, or any leader run the country from jail? My party and I completely reject the idea that this country cannot be governed without the person who is sitting there." "One member will go, other members...will run the government, and when they get bail, they can come and take the oath again. What is the objection in this?" he said.
Counter question
Kejriwal hits back at Shah
Kejriwal has now responded by questioning the ethics of inducting criminals into parties. He asked, "And what about a leader who inducts hardened criminals into his party, helps them wipe off their cases, and then rewards them with positions—should such a minister or prime minister not also be forced to step down?" "If someone is falsely implicated in a case, sent to jail, and later acquitted, how many years of imprisonment should the minister who falsely implicated him face?"
Jail governance
What Shah said about Kejriwal's jail stay
Kejriwal also defended his own actions when he was jailed over the Delhi liquor policy scam. "At least during the jail government, there was no power cut, water was available, free medicines were available in hospitals and mohalla clinics...Delhi was not in such a bad condition after a single rain, private schools were not allowed to act arbitrarily and indulge in hooliganism," he said.
Governance comparison
BJP rule in Delhi a 'mess': Kejriwal
Kejriwal was arrested in June 2024 in a corruption case linked to Delhi's now-defunct liquor policy. He had continued to serve as CM from Tihar jail, a move Shah criticized as "shameless." He didn't step down until September, when he was granted bail. He had then announced that he would come back as CM only after the "people's court" verdict, which was the Assembly election. Earlier this year, the AAP lost the election in Delhi.