Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata

Kolkata, Aug 20: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a blistering attack on the central government over the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, calling it a direct assault on Indian democracy and a dangerous slide toward authoritarianism. In a strongly worded statement shared on social media, Banerjee condemned the bill as a harbinger of a “super-emergency” and accused the Centre of trying to dismantle the very pillars of the Constitution — democracy, federalism, and judicial independence.

Calling the proposed legislation a “death knell for democracy,” Banerjee alleged that the bill aims to strip the judiciary of its Constitutional powers, marking what she described as a “Hitlerian assault” on justice and democratic values. According to her, the bill is an unprecedented move to eliminate judicial independence by transferring critical decision-making authority into politically motivated hands. She warned that this would allow unelected investigative agencies — like the ED and CBI — to override the democratic mandate of elected state governments, undermining federal balance and eroding public trust in legal institutions.

Banerjee also criticised the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR), calling it another draconian measure designed to suppress voting rights and manipulate democratic processes. The Chief Minister’s sharp remarks followed Union Home Minister Amit Shah's introduction of the 130th Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha, which proposes the removal of central or state ministers facing serious criminal allegations if they have been in custody for over 30 days, even without conviction.

Describing the bill as regressive rather than reformist, Banerjee accused the BJP-led government of attempting to rewrite the Constitution to suit its own power interests. She warned that the legislation represents a fundamental threat to constitutional governance and a deliberate move to dismantle the separation of powers, judicial review, and federalism — the very principles that uphold the Indian republic.

According to the TMC leader, the real intent of the bill is to create a centralised regime — a "one-man, one-party, one-government" system — where state autonomy is overridden, courts are weakened, and dissent is silenced. She warned that passing the bill would be akin to issuing a death warrant for democratic accountability and legal redress in India.

Banerjee concluded her statement with a call to resist the bill at all costs, urging citizens and political forces alike to protect the judiciary, safeguard democracy, and prevent the erosion of constitutional rights. As Parliament also saw the tabling of two other contentious legislations — the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill — the political storm surrounding the 130th Amendment shows no signs of subsiding.