The Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Udhayanidhi Stalin, strongly criticized the newly introduced "Criminal Neta Bill" in Parliament, calling it a direct assault on the federal structure of India and a serious danger to the country’s democratic principles. While addressing an event in Chennai, he asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is systematically attempting to strip the state governments of their constitutional powers. He further declared that Chief Minister M. K. Stalin would never allow such a bill to turn into law, as it undermines not just the rights of individual states but also threatens the very foundation of Indian democracy.
Udhayanidhi highlighted that the bill was introduced hastily by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, without adequate discussion or deliberation. According to him, the provisions of the bill are deeply problematic, as they empower the government to remove an elected leader, such as a Chief Minister, a Minister, or even the Prime Minister, if they are arrested and remain in custody for just thirty days, irrespective of whether a conviction has been made. He argued that this provision directly challenges the will of the people, because democratically elected leaders could be removed from power on the basis of an accusation, thereby destabilizing the system of governance. He described this move as nothing short of a declared threat not only to the states but also to India’s democratic framework as a whole.
The Deputy Chief Minister went on to explain that the authority of both the Union government and the state governments flows directly from the Constitution. Neither is superior to the other in their respective domains, and both are meant to function in coordination, not in a relationship of dominance and subordination. Stressing this point, he recalled how the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government has consistently maintained the practice of referring to the government in New Delhi as the "Union Government" rather than the "Central Government." He reminded the audience that when DMK came to power in 2021, this terminology was deliberately adopted to reflect the true spirit of the Constitution, which recognizes India as a Union of States. Despite opposition and criticism, Chief Minister M. K. Stalin had clarified in the Legislative Assembly that the word "Union" is the only constitutionally accurate term, and that using "Central Government" would be misleading, as it suggests a hierarchy that does not exist in constitutional law.
Citing the authority of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Indian Constitution, Udhayanidhi Stalin reinforced his argument by stating that both the Union and the States were creations of the Constitution and therefore share equal legitimacy. Each derives its power from the same source, and neither can claim supremacy over the other. According to him, the framers of the Constitution envisioned a balanced federal structure where cooperation and coordination between the two levels of government would guide governance, rather than control or dominance.
He also reminded the public that since the DMK assumed office, the party has firmly stood for the principle of state autonomy. The DMK has repeatedly advocated for amendments to the Constitution that would give more decision-making powers to the states, thereby strengthening federalism. Udhayanidhi declared that his party continues to press for these changes and will persist in its efforts until the balance of power between the Union and the states is safeguarded and expanded in favor of greater autonomy for state governments.
The controversy surrounding the bill emerged during the recently concluded monsoon session of Parliament, when Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the "Criminal Neta Bill." The bill’s provisions empower the Union government to remove any elected leader, including the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and other Ministers, if they remain under arrest for thirty consecutive days. The provision does not require a conviction and instead relies solely on the fact of custody, raising serious questions about the presumption of innocence and the democratic mandate of elected leaders. Critics like Udhayanidhi Stalin argue that if such a bill becomes law, it would open the door to misuse of power, where political opponents could be targeted with false cases, arrested, and subsequently removed from office, thereby destabilizing democratic institutions and silencing dissent.
Through his remarks, Udhayanidhi Stalin sought to underline that the DMK will resist this bill at every stage and will not permit it to undermine the democratic values enshrined in the Constitution. His speech also echoed broader concerns that the federal structure of India, which has been carefully balanced since independence, is under threat from the increasing centralization of power by the ruling party at the Union level. He framed the issue not merely as a dispute between the BJP and the DMK, but as a larger question about the future of democracy in India and the autonomy of its states.
