New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national media in-charge Anurag Dhanda on Monday strongly criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the newly proposed 130th Constitution Amendment Bill, alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had conspired to topple the AAP government in Delhi.

The Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill seeks to create a framework for removing the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers and Ministers if they are detained for up to 30 days on serious criminal charges.

What did AAP say about the bill?

Speaking to media, Dhanda alleged that the cases filed against senior AAP leaders, including former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former minister Satyendar Jain, were false.

"It is clear from the BJP's and Amit Shah's statements that to bring down the Arvind Kejriwal government, all fake cases were charged against him. It was a conspiracy by the BJP to bring down the AAP government in Delhi. Today, people are remembering Arvind Kejriwal's governance from jail," Dhanda said.

Dhanda also drew comparisons between the governance of former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and current Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.

"Rekha Gupta ji is not in jail, yet, private school fees are increasing, sewer water is flowing on roads, crimes are increasing, there is a shortage of water in colonies, and there are power cuts," he said.

What was Kejriwal’s response?

Earlier in the day, former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, currently lodged in jail, also took aim at Amit Shah and the BJP, questioning the logic behind the proposed Bill.

"Should a person who includes criminals of serious crimes in his party, gets all their cases dismissed, and makes them ministers, deputy chief ministers, or chief ministers, also be required to resign from his position? How many years of imprisonment should such a person face?" Kejriwal wrote on social media platform X.

How did Amit Shah defend the bill?

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier pushed back against the Opposition’s criticism, making it clear that both he and the BJP rejected claims that the country cannot function without leaders who are jailed.

In an interview, he said,"I want to ask the entire nation and the Opposition... Can a Chief Minister, Prime Minister, or any leader run the country from jail? Does that suit the dignity of our democracy?"

(ANI inputs)