With an increase of 850 per cent, can our leaders speak about crimes against women

New Delhi, Dec 10: Between 2009 and 2019, there has been a 231 per cent increase in the number of candidates with declared cases of crimes against women contesting the in Lok Sabha elections. From 2009 to 2019, there has been an increase of 850 per cent in the number of MPs with declared cases of crime against women in Lok Sabha, a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms states.

Out of 756 MPs and 4,063 MLAs analysed with declared criminal cases, 76 MPs/MLAs have declared cases related to crimes against women.

Among these 76 MPs/MLAs with declared cases related to Crimes against women, 58 are MLAs and 18 are MPs.

In the last 5 years, there are a total of 572 candidates with declared criminal cases related to crime against women have contested in Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and assembly elections. None of these candidates has been convicted.

410 candidates analysed who had declared cases related to crimes against women were given tickets by recognized political parties. Among these candidates, 89 candidates were given tickets by parties for Lok Sabha / Rajya Sabha elections and 321 candidates for state assemblies' elections. 162 independent candidates analysed with declared cases related to crimes against women had contested for Lok/Rajya and state assemblies' elections in the last 5 years.

In the last 5 years, 35 independent candidates with declared cases related to crimes against women contested in the Lok Sabha/ Rajya Elections. Similarly, 127 independent candidates with declared cases related to crimes against women contested in the state assemblies elections.

This clearly depicts that the political parties are not concerned about the issue of crime against women. Appallingly, the political parties which are led by women, such as INC, BSP and AITC have been fielding candidates with declared cases related to crime against women.

Among the states, West Bengal has the highest number of MPs/ MLAs i.e. 16, followed by Odisha and Maharashtra each with 12 MPs/MLAs who have declared cases related to crimes against women.

Among the states in the last 5 years, Maharashtra has the highest number of candidates i.e. 84, followed by Bihar with 75 and West Bengal with 69 candidates (including independents) who were given tickets by political parties even though they have declared cases related crimes against women in their affidavits.

Among various recognised parties, BJP has the highest number of MPs/ MLAs i.e. 21, followed by INC with 16 and YSRCP with 7 MPs/MLAs who have declared cases related to crimes against women.

Among the major parties in the last 5 years, 66 candidates with declared cases related to crimes against women were given tickets by BJP. The second-highest number of candidates, i.e. 46 who had declared cases related to crimes against women were given tickets by INC, followed by 40 candidates from BSP who had declared cases related to crimes against women who had contested for Lok/Rajya Sabha and State Assemblies Elections in the last 5 years.

There are 9 MPs/MLAs who have declared cases related to rape. Out of these, 3 are MPs and 6 are MLAs.

In the last 5 years, recognized parties have given tickets to 41 candidates who had declared cases related to rape.

In the last 5 years, 14 independent candidates with declared cases related to rape have contested for Lok/Rajya Sabha and State assemblies' elections.