Around 24 per cent of Rajya Sabha MP’s have declared criminal cases against them, states a research done by the Association of Democratic Reforms. But in my reasonable career of covering policy and politics I have felt that we must not be uncharitable to politicians but putting them all in one basket, hence, we must make a distinguish between political and nonpolitical cases.
Political cases are which almost every politician faces while taking part in protests as a part of political life, then there are other cases like obstructing a government servant from doing duty, that many politicians face, some are even hauled up for charges like violating section 144 CrPC where three of more people cannot gather. Frankly, such laws were devised by the British when India was under the colonial rule, but now times have changed. But then there are other set of politicians who are facing serious charges like rape and murder, which clearly belong to a different category. Though this writer believes one must not assume a politician to be guilty because he has been charged for heinous crime, but public awareness and scrutiny by civil society for such cases needs to be enhanced.
Rajya Sabha has 233 seats of which 3 seats are vacant. National Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 229 out of 230 sitting Rajya Sabha MPs. Out of the 229 Rajya Sabha MPs analysed, 54 or 24 per cent Rajya Sabha MPs have declared criminal cases against themselves. 28 or 12 per centRajya Sabha MPs have declared serious criminal cases. One Rajya Sabha MP namely Bhonsle Shrimant Chh. Udayanraje Pratapsinghmaharaj (BJP) from Maharashtra has declared cases related to murder (IPC section 302) while four Rajya Sabha MPs have declared cases related to attempt to murder (IPC Section 307). FourRajya Sabha MPs have declared cases related to crimes against women. Out of 4 MPs, One Rajya Sabha MP namely K.C. Venugopal (INC) from Rajasthan has declared case related to rape (IPC Section-376).
Party-wise Rajya Sabha MPs with criminal cases
14 or 18 per cent out of 77 Rajya Sabha MPs from BJP, 8 or 20 percent out of 40 Rajya Sabha MPs from INC, 2 or 15 per cent out of 13 Rajya Sabha MPs fromAITC, 3 or 33 per cent out of 9 Rajya Sabha MPs from BJD, 3 or 50 per cent out of 6 Rajya Sabha MPs from YSRCP and 2 or 25 percent out of 8 Rajya Sabha MPs from SP have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
Party wise Rajya Sabha MPs with serious criminal cases:
5 or 6% per cent out of 77 Rajya Sabha MPs from BJP, 6 or 15% per cent out of 40 Rajya Sabha MPs from INC, 1 (8%) out of 13 Rajya Sabha MPs from AITC, 1 or 11 per cent out of 9 Rajya Sabha MPs from BJD, 3 or 50 per cent out of 6 Rajya Sabha MPs from YSRCP and 3 or 60 per cent out of 5 Rajya Sabha MPs from RJDhave declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
Top three Rajya Sabha MPs with highest declared assets. (See Tabe 1).