No one is above law, some continue to enjoy power even from jail: PM Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that individuals should not be allowed to remain in power while serving time in jail. He was speaking about the bill that proposes the removal of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and Union or State Ministers if they are arrested for serious crimes and spend more than a month in jail. The Prime Minister said the bill was introduced as part of the fight against corruption. He was addressing a public meeting in Bihar. According to him, the only people concerned about the bill are the corrupt, since its passage would cost them their positions of power.

"No one should be above the law. However, today, some Chief Ministers, Ministers or even a Prime Minister can continue to enjoy power even while in jail. How is that possible?" he asked. Modi pointed out that if a government employee is detained for 50 hours, he loses his job, whether he is a driver, a clerk, or a peon. “But under the current system, a Chief Minister, Minister, or even the Prime Minister can continue to remain in office even from jail,” he said.

Referring to the Delhi liquor policy case, Modi mentioned the example of Arvind Kejriwal, who continued as Chief Minister while in Tihar jail. “We recently witnessed files being signed and government orders issued from jail,” he remarked.

The Prime Minister stressed that with such an attitude among leaders, it would be impossible to fight corruption. He underlined that the NDA government’s proposed law will apply to everyone equally, including the Prime Minister himself.