Practice of running govts from jail must stop: PM Narendra Modi

Upping the ante on a new government Bill that seeks to remove tainted Prime Minister, Chief Ministers and ministers from office, PM Narendra Modi on Friday said when a peon could be suspended if jailed for 50 hours, why should top politicians be spared. He said the practice of people in seats of power running governments from jail and signing files from behind bars should be stopped.

Addressing a public rally in election-bound Gayaji in Bihar, Modi slammed the opposition Congress and the RJD for resisting the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, “fearing loss of their political future”. He said, “Those out on bail are crying hoarse against the new provision.”

“If the fight against corruption is to reach its goal, no one can be above the law. Today, if a public servant is detained for 50 hours, he is deemed to be suspended. A driver, a clerk, a peon has his life destroyed in hours but if a CM, minister or the PM do the same, they can enjoy the fruits of power from jail. How can this be allowed,” the PM asked after inaugurating projects worth Rs 12,000 crore in Gayaji.

In a veiled jibe at former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Modi said the country saw some time ago how files were being signed from jail and directions issued.

“The Constitution expects elected representatives to be honest and transparent. We can’t see constitutional morality being shredded like this. That is why the NDA government has brought an anti-corruption law covering the PM, CMs and ministers. Once it is enacted, an arrested minister must secure bail in 30 days failing which he must vacate office on the 31st day,” the PM said, questioning the Opposition’s resistance to a “public welfare move”.

Modi said in the RJD and the Congress, “someone is out on bail, someone is embroiled in the job scam in the Railways.

“Those out on bail are opposing this law. They feel if they are jailed, their dreams will be shattered. And this is why they are abusing Modi day and night,” said the PM, adding that BR Ambedkar would have never thought power-hungry people would stick to chair even after being jailed.

He said, “The corrupt will now have to go to jail and also leave their chair.”

The PM, flanked by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and other leaders, also slammed the Congress-RJD combine for opposing the Election Commission’s special intensive revision of electoral rolls, pledging to “expel every infiltrator from India”.

He recalled the Independence Day announcement of a demography mission and said “ghuspethiye (infiltrators)” won’t be allowed to snatch the rights of Indians.

“Facilities meant for Indian citizens will not be allowed to be looted by infiltrators,” he said, adding that the demography mission would start operations soon.

Earlier, the PM inaugurated the 8.15-km-long Aunta-Simaria bridge project on the NH-31, including the 1.86-km-long six-lane bridge on the Ganga, constructed at a cost of over Rs 1,870 crore.

In Kolkata later, Modi inaugurated projects worth Rs 5,200 crore. Addressing a rally in North 24 Parganas’ Dum Dum, he said the country would no longer tolerate infiltrators, adding that “to ensure that infiltrators leave Bengal and the country, the TMC government has to go”.