JOIN US1% of lawmakers face cases of crime against women: ADR
At a time a BJP MLA is in the dock over allegations of rape and subsequent cover-up efforts, an analysis showed that 1% of around 4,900 current MPs and MLAs in the country face charges of crime against women.
The BJP leads the pack with 12 or one-fourth of its 48 lawmakers -- 45 MLAs and 3 MPs -- who face such cases. Of these 48 lawmakers, three MLAs are booked under sections related to rape.
The three MLAs with rape cases against them are G Suryanarayana (TDP - Andhra Pradesh), Jethabhai G Ahir (BJP - Gujarat) and Gulab Yadav (RJD - Bihar).
According to the analysis of self-sworn affidavits of 4,845 out of a total of 4,896 MPs and MLAs by private election watchdog Association for Democratic Rights, recognised parties have given tickets to 26 candidates, who had declared cases related to rape in the last five years. Fourteen independent candidates with such charges have contested in Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha and State Assembly polls during the same period.
If BJP tops the list, Shiv Sena has seven lawmakers who have cases of crime against women against them. Trinamool Congress has six such lawmakers followed by TDP (5), Congress (4) and BJD (4). When it comes to states, Maharashtra has the highest number of 12 such MPs and MLAs followed by West Bengal (11), Odisha (5) and Andhra Pradesh (5).
Recognised parties have fielded 327 candidates with various charges of crime against women in past five years. Of this, 40 candidates were given tickets by parties for Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha elections. Among major parties, BJP gave tickets to 47 such candidates followed by BSP (35) and Congress (24).
Debar accused
The analysis comes at a time the country is outraged over rape incidents in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua where an eight-year-old nomad girl was the victim and in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao where BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar is arrested. The Unnao case hit headlines after the victim attempted self-immolation near UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's residence and her father died in police custody.
The ADR has demanded that the candidates with a serious criminal background should be debarred from contesting elections. It also wanted political parties to disclose the criteria on which candidates are given tickets, besides asking the government to fast-track cases against MLAs and MPs.
