Indian democracy has always thrived on debate and dissent, but there is a difference between protest and sheer disgrace. What unfolded in Parliament recently—Opposition MPs hurling torn papers at Home Minister Amit Shah—was a shameful spectacle that revealed more than just anger. It revealed fear. The provocation? Three proposed Bills that would bar prime ministers, chief ministers, and ministers—if arrested on serious criminal charges—from continuing in office beyond 30 days. At first glance, this seems like a straightforward measure to strengthen accountability. Yet the fury it provoked was telling. This wasn’t outrage over procedure or democratic principles. This was the panic of leaders who knew that too many of their own would be caught in the net. For decades, India has lived with the ugly reality of politics and crime feeding off each other. These Bills threaten to sever that nexus, and the Opposition knows it. Let’s be clear: these reforms are not about vendetta politics. They are about restoring credibility to governance. They are about ensuring that India’s highest constitutional posts are not tainted by individuals under the shadow of serious criminal charges. If passed, they could fundamentally alter the political landscape by setting a new bar for integrity in public office. That, precisely, is why the Opposition is howling. And look at who is leading the outrage. Congress, which has never had a consistent stand on cleaning up politics, suddenly claims to be the defender of democratic values. Lest we forget, under Dr. Manmohan Singh, Congress cleared an ordinance to disqualify convicted lawmakers. But Rahul Gandhi, in his trademark theatrics, barged into a press conference and tore up the ordinance, dismissing it as an “insult to the nation.” That drama was not an act of moral courage—it was a desperate attempt to protect allies like Lalu Prasad Yadav, convicted in the fodder scam. The truth is simple: when it comes to cleansing politics, Congress has always spoken from both sides of its mouth.
And the hypocrisy does not end there. Today, Rahul Gandhi himself is out on bail in the National Herald case, a scam involving alleged misappropriation of properties worth thousands of crores. His mother, Sonia Gandhi, is also an accused in the same case. Several of their allies face similar legal troubles. From corruption scandals to financial fraud, the Opposition benches are filled with leaders battling serious charges. No wonder these Bills send shivers down their spine—because the law, if applied fairly, would threaten their political survival. Opposition parties love to lecture on morality when it suits them, but when the mirror is held up, their discomfort is palpable. If they were truly committed to probity in public life, they would have welcomed these Bills as a necessary corrective to a long-festering problem. Instead, they resorted to tearing papers and disrupting Parliament—exactly the kind of behaviour that convinces citizens that many politicians are more interested in self-preservation than in serving the nation. For ordinary Indians, the principle is straightforward: those who face serious criminal charges should not be allowed to wield executive power. Every other profession—from the military to civil services—demands high standards of integrity. Why should politics be exempt? Why should individuals under a cloud of corruption or criminality be allowed to make laws for the rest of us? The Opposition’s fury has only exposed its insecurities. Far from defending democracy, they are defending the indefensible—a system that normalises crime in politics. The Narendra Modi government, by pushing these reforms, has thrown down the gauntlet: politics must be cleansed, and those unwilling to meet higher standards of probity will have no place in power. That, more than anything, explains the Opposition’s rage. It is not democracy they are protecting—it is themselves. And in doing so, they have exposed their moral bankruptcy before the nation.
