Bengal MPs and MLAs top in cases of crimes against women highlights analysis by ADR

An analysis by poll watchdog Association for Democratic Reforms has revealed that Bengal has more MPs and MLAs who face cases of crimes against women than any other state.

The report says: “Out of 772 sitting MPs and 4,109 sitting MLAs analysed, 187 sitting MPs/MLAs have declared cases related to crimes against women…. Among the states, West Bengal has the highest number of sitting MPs/ MLAs i.e., 69, followed by Andhra Pradesh with 22 and Odisha with 17 sitting MPs/MLAs who have declared cases related to crimes against women.”

It adds: “Among various parties, BJP has the highest number of sitting MPs/ MLAs, i.e., 106, followed by INC with 20 and TDP with 18 sitting MPs/MLAs who have declared cases related to crimes against women.”

However, looking at these numbers proportionally — as a percentage of each party’s total strength in Parliament and state Assemblies — makes the concentration highest within the TDP (11.6 per cent), followed by the BJP (4.9 per cent) and Congress
(2.6 per cent).

The report adds: “Out of 187 sitting MPs/MLAs who have declared cases related to crimes against women, 14 sitting MPs/MLAs have declared cases related to rape and person committing rape repeatedly on the same woman. Among these 14 sitting MPs/MLAs with declared cases related to Rape, 2 are sitting Lok Sabha MPs and 12 are
sitting MLAs.”

“Among the parties, BJP and INC have the highest number of sitting MPs/ MLAs with declared cases related to rape, with 4 each. In the BJP, 2 sitting MLAs and 2 sitting MPs have declared such cases, while in the INC, 4 sitting MLAs have declared such cases. TDP, Democratic Trinamool Congress, BJD, NPP, Bharat Adivasi Party and All India Secular Front have 1 sitting MLA each with declared cases related to rape.”

The top recommendations of ADR include:

• Candidates with a criminal background should be debarred from contesting elections.
• Candidates convicted of heinous crimes such as rape should be permanently disqualified from contesting elections.
• Candidates with serious criminal backgrounds, especially crimes against women, should not be appointed as ministers in the council of ministers.
• Political parties that defy the Supreme Court’s orders on publishing criminal antecedents and reasons for selection should face heavy financial penalties, and their officers in charge of compliance should be held accountable.