Around 50 MPs/MLAs in the country have declared criminal cases against women – three of them are facing rape charges
Caravan News
NEW DELHI: Amidst the national outrage over the brutal rape-murder of a girl child in Kathua and rape of a teenage girl in Unnao and political patronage to the accused, an analysis of election affidavits of almost all MPs and MLAs in the country has revealed that at least 48 MPs/MLAs have declared criminal cases against women. Three of them are facing trial in rape cases.
The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch have jointly analyzed 4845 out of 4896 election affidavits of current MPs and MLAs. It includes 768 out of 776 affidavits of MPs and 4077 out of 4120 MLAs from all the states of India.
The analysis has revealed that with 12, BJP has the highest number of MPs/MLAs who have criminal cases against women – one of them is facing rape case.
In the Unnao case, the accused was local BJP MLA Kuldip Singh Sengar. After about one year of fight by the victim girl for justice, the MLA was arrested last week – only after the intervention of the Allahabad High Court following huge outrage.
In the Kathua rape-murder case of an eight-year-old girl, some outfits, with support of two BJP ministers in the state, have been protesting in support of the accused. After huge national outrage, both ministers have resigned.
“48 MPs and MLAs have declared cases related to crime against women.Its tragic&sad.Political parties bank on what they call ‘winnablity’ of candidate, setting aside fact that a candidate has committed a crime against women,” said Jagdeep S. Chhokar, Founder and Trustee, ADR.
Main Points of ADR Analysis of MPs/MLAs:
— Out of 1580(33%) MPs/ MLAs analysed with declared criminal cases, 48 have declared cases related to crimes against women.
— Among these 48 MPs/MLAs with declared cases related to Crimes against women, 45 are MLAs and 3 are MPs.
— 327 candidates analysed who had declared cases related to crimes against women, were given tickets by recognized political parties.
— 118 independent candidates analysed with declared cases related to crimes against women had contested for Lok/Rajya and state assembles’ elections in last 5 years.
— Among these candidates, 40 candidates were given tickets by parties for Lok Sabha / Rajya Sabha elections. Various recognized parties have given tickets to 287 candidates with cases related to crimes against women for state assemblies’ elections.
— In the last 5 years, 18 independent candidates with declared cases related to crimes against women contested in the Lok Sabha/ Rajya Elections. Similarly, 100 independent candidates with declared cases related to crimes against women contested in the state assemblies’ elections.
— Among the states, Maharashtra has the highest number of MPs/ MLAs i.e. 12, followed by West Bengal with 11, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh each with 5 MPs/MLAs who have declared cases related crimes against women
— Among the states in the last 5 years, Maharashtra has the highest number of candidates i.e. 65, followed by Bihar with 62 and West Bengal with 52 candidates who were given tickets by political parties even though they have declared cases related to crimes against women in their affidavits.
— Among various recognized parties, BJP has the highest number of MPs/ MLAs i.e. 12, followed by SHS (Shiv Sena) with 7 and AITC (All India Trinamool Congress) with 6 MPs/MLAs who have declared cases related crimes against women.
— Among the major parties in the last 5 years, 47 candidates with declared cases related to crimes against women were given tickets by BJP. The second highest number of candidates, i.e. 35 who had declared cases related to crimes against women were given tickets by BSP, followed by 24 candidates from INC who had declared cases related to crimes against women who had contested for Lok/Rajya Sabha and State Assemblies Elections in last 5 years.
— Following are 3 MLAs who have declared have declared cases related to rape:
Jethabhai G.Ahir from BJP who has won from Shehra constituency in Gujarat (2017)
Gulab Yadav from RJD who has won from Jhanjharpur constituency in Bihar (2015)
Gonuguntla Suryanarayana from TDP who has won from Dharmavaram constituency in Andhra Pradesh (2014)
