Maharashtra the Worst

The BJP has 12 MPs and MLAs who have declared cases of crime against women, while Shiv Sena has 7 and the Trinamool Congress six.

 

48 MP, MLAs have declared cases of crime against women: ADR

BJP Tops List of Lawmakers Charged with Crime Against Women; Maharashtra the Worst
BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar has been booked in the Unnao rape case. (PTI Photo)
New Delhi: The BJP has the highest number of MPs and MLAs facing cases of crime against women, a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch said.

Both election watchdogs analyzed 4,845 of 4,896 election affidavits of current MPs and MLAs. This includes 768 out of 776 affidavits of MPs and 4,077 out of 4,120 MLA affidavits.

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch have analysed 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. (Click Here For Complete ADR Report)

Among these 48 MPs/MLAs with declared cases related to crimes against women, 45 are MLAs and 3 are MPs. Out of these, 26 are those who have self-declared rape charges against them. They have been given tickets by recognised political parties in the last 5 years, ADR report claimed.

Following are 3 MLAs who have declared cases related to rape :

  • Gonuguntla Suryanarayana from TDP who has won from Dharmavaram constituency in Andhra Pradesh (2014)
  • 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)

State-wise, Maharashtra had the highest number of MPs/MLAs (12) charged with crimes against women, followed by West Bengal (11), and Odisha and Andhra Pradesh (five).

In its report, the ADR has recommended that candidates with a criminal background should be debarred from contesting elections. It also urged the political parties to disclose the selection criteria of election candidates and also suggested that cases against MPs and MLAs be fast tracked and decided upon in a time-bound manner.

Out of 1,580 (33%) MPs and MLAs who have declared criminal cases, 48 have declared cases related to crimes against women. While BJP tops this notorious list among recognised political parties, the others in the fray are Shiv Sena and All India Trinamool Congress.

The BJP has 12 MPs and MLAs who have declared cases of crime against women, while Shiv Sena has 7 and the Trinamool Congress six.

The report adds that among the major parties in the last five years, 47 candidates with cases of crimes against women were given tickets by the BJP. The BSP had given tickets to around 35 such candidates, followed by the Congress (24).

Maharashtra has 12 such MPs and MLAs, followed by West Bengal (11), Odisha and Andhra Pradesh (five each).

Most of the charges that the report speaks of are assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty (IPC Section-354); kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage, etc. (IPC Section-366); rape (IPC Section-376); husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty (IPC Section-498A); buying minor for purposes of prostitution, etc. (IPC Section-373); and word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman (IPC Section-509).

The ADR has now recommended that candidates with serious criminal background be debarred from contesting elections and that political parties disclose the criteria on which candidates are given tickets.

The report comes days after the BJP’s Unnao MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar was booked on charges of raping a minor girl, whose father died in police custody later.