‘Constitutional Amendment Bill ‘more than super-emergency, Hitlerian assault’

Kolkata: Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday condemned the 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill, calling it “something more than a super-Emergency” and a “Hitlerian assault on the very soul of Indian democracy”.

Calling it a “black day” on social media, Banerjee said that the draconian step comes as a death knell for democracy and federalism in India and it aims to suppress the voting rights of the Indian citizens in the name of Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

“I condemn the 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill, proposed to be tabled, by the Government of India today. I condemn it as a step towards something that is more than a super- Emergency, a step to end the democratic era of India for ever. This draconian step comes as a death knell for democracy and federalism in India. To suppress the voting rights of the Indian citizens in the name of Special Intensive Revision (SIR), this is another super- draconian step by the Centre now,” Banerjee wrote on X.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced in the Lok Sabha the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks to remove any central or state minister who faces allegations of corruption or serious offences and has been detained for at least 30 days. The Bill will amend Article 75 of the Constitution, which primarily deals with the appointment and responsibilities of the Council of Ministers, including the Prime Minister.

“This Bill now wants to finish the Independence of our Judiciary. What we are witnessing is unprecedented-- the Bill is nothing short of a Hitlerian assault on the very soul of Indian democracy. The Bill seeks to strip the judiciary of its Constitutional role- to take away the power of Courts to adjudicate on matters that lie at the very heart of justice and federal balance,” Banerjee said, adding: “By vesting such powers in partisan hands, the Bill mutilates democracy. This is not reform. This is regression- towards a system where the law no longer rests with independent Courts but is placed in the hands of vested interests. It is a chilling attempt to establish a rule where judicial scrutiny is silenced, Constitutional safeguards are dismantled, and the people’s rights are trampled.”

Banerjee further attacked the Centre saying: “This is how authoritarian regimes, even fascist ones in history, consolidated power. It reeks of the very mindset that the world once condemned in the darkest chapters of the 20th century. To weaken the Courts is to weaken the people. To deny them the right to seek justice is to deny them democracy itself.”

Elaborating on the ill effects of the Bill introduced, Banerjee added: “The Bill strikes at the basic structure of the Constitution- federalism, separation of powers, and judicial review- principles that even Parliament cannot override. If allowed to pass, it will be a death warrant for Constitutional governance in India. We must resist this dangerous overreach. Our Constitution is not the property of those in temporary seats of power. It belongs to the people of India.”

She also mentioned that the intent of the Bill is to consolidate a system of one man, one party, one Government. The Bill seeks to empower the Union to intrude upon the mandate of the people, handing sweeping powers to unelected authorities (ED, CBI- whom Supreme Court has described as ‘ caged parrots’) to interfere in the functioning of elected State governments, added Banerjee.

“It is a step to empower the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister in a sinister manner at the expense of the basic principles of our Constitution. The Bill must be resisted at any cost! Democracy must be saved at this moment! The people will not forgive any attempt to take away their Courts, their rights, and their democracy. Jai Hind!” Banerjee wrote on X.