Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday took aim at Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, questioning the consistency of his moral stance, especially in light of his opposition to a new bill that seeks to bar jailed leaders from holding constitutional office.

In an interview with news agency ANI, Shah recalled a 2013 incident when Rahul Gandhi publicly tore apart an ordinance introduced by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. That ordinance sought to protect convicted lawmakers—particularly RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav—by allowing them to retain their seats for three months despite a conviction. The move was eventually withdrawn after public backlash.

"Why did Rahul Ji tear up the ordinance Manmohan Singh brought to protect Lalu Ji? If it was about morality back then, what has changed now? Just because you lost three elections? Morality shouldn’t fluctuate with wins or losses—it should be constant like the Sun and the Moon," Shah said.

His remarks come in the context of the **Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025**, which the government introduced during the monsoon session of Parliament. The bill proposes that any Prime Minister, Chief Minister, or Minister who is in custody for 30 consecutive days must step down. If they don’t resign voluntarily, their position will automatically fall vacant on the 31st day. However, the bill allows for their reappointment after release, offering some flexibility.

Shah strongly defended the bill, questioning whether it was fair or democratic for anyone in such high office to continue governing from prison. “Is it appropriate for a democracy that a PM, CM, or minister should run a government from jail? Just because Narendra Modi is currently the PM doesn’t mean we won’t address this issue. What if a future PM goes to jail—should they still run the government from behind bars?” Shah asked.

He emphasized that the law would apply equally to all, including leaders from the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA). “This isn’t just about the Opposition. The PM is from NDA, and most CMs are also from NDA. This bill holds everyone accountable,” he said.

Shah dismissed concerns that such a bill could be misused, pointing out that courts have the power to grant bail. “If it’s a fake case, the High Court or Supreme Court can give bail. But if bail is denied, the person should step down. Is the post more important than the system?” he asked.

Taking a personal example, Shah said that when he received a summons from the CBI in a political case, he immediately resigned from his post and did not return to office until he was fully acquitted. “The case was later ruled as political vendetta. But even then, I didn’t take the oath or accept any constitutional post until I was cleared. So what lessons on morality is the Opposition trying to teach me?” he asked.

He also accused the Opposition, particularly the Congress and the INDIA bloc, of trying to protect leaders even if they land in jail, drawing parallels to similar efforts during Indira Gandhi’s tenure. “They want to turn jails into CM or PM Houses, where cabinet secretaries, DGPs, or home secretaries take orders from a prison cell. Can a country function like this?” Shah asked.

Apart from the 130th Amendment Bill, Shah also introduced the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and a bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. All three were referred to a joint parliamentary committee for further review.