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A staggering 40% of the 763 MPs have declared criminal cases against themselves...
Digital Desk: In a startling revelation, a recent report published by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW) shed light on the prevalence of criminal cases among India's Members of Parliament (MPs). According to the report, a staggering 40% of the 763 MPs have declared criminal cases against themselves. The data was extracted from affidavits filed by the MPs prior to contesting their last elections, providing a sobering snapshot of the state of India's political landscape.
Out of the MPs with criminal cases, a significant 25% were found to have serious criminal charges levied against them. These included cases related to murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, and crimes against women. Kerala emerged as the leader in this disturbing statistic, with a shocking 73% of its MPs declaring criminal cases in their self-sworn affidavits. Other states following closely behind were Bihar (57%), Maharashtra (57%), and Telangana (50%).
The report also delved into party-wise data, revealing that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the ruling party in India, had 36% of its 385 MPs with criminal cases against them. The Congress party was not far behind, with 53% of its 81 MPs facing similar allegations. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) had 39% of its 36 MPs embroiled in criminal cases, while the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M) had 83% and 75% of their MPs involved, respectively. Even the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had a share in this concerning statistic, with 27% of its 11 MPs facing criminal charges. Among regional parties, the YSRCP had 42% of its 31 MPs with criminal cases, while the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) had 38% of its 8 MPs in a similar predicament.
The report also highlighted specific criminal charges against MPs, with 32 of them facing cases of 'attempt to murder' under IPC Section 307, and 21 MPs being accused of crimes against women. Shockingly, four MPs had declared cases related to rape under IPC Section 376.
On a financial note, the report found that the average assets per MP from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha amounted to ₹38.33 crore. MPs with declared criminal cases had significantly higher average assets, averaging ₹50.03 crore, compared to ₹30.50 crore for MPs with no criminal cases. Telangana emerged as the state with the highest average assets among MPs, with an average worth of ₹262.26 crore. Andhra Pradesh followed with ₹150.76 crore per MP, and Punjab with ₹88.94 crore.
Digging deeper into party-wise financial data, the report revealed that BJP MPs had an average of ₹18.31 crore in assets, while Congress MPs possessed an average of ₹39.12 crore. TMC MPs averaged ₹8.72 crore, YSRCP MPs had an average of ₹153.76 crore, Telangana Rashtra Samiti (now Bharat Rashtra Samiti) MPs averaged ₹383.51 crore, NCP MPs had an average of ₹30.11 crore, and AAP MPs averaged ₹119.84 crores.
This comprehensive report serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for transparency and accountability in India's political landscape. It raises questions about the suitability of individuals with criminal backgrounds to hold public office and calls for a broader conversation on electoral reform to ensure the integrity of India's democracy.
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