Currently, a total of 51 MPs and MLAs have declared cases of crime against women, including alleged rape and abduction, of which the BJP ranks the highest with 14 of its MPs and MLAs in the list, followed by the Shiv Sena (7) and the All India Trinamool Congress (6), an analysis conducted by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch revealed.
BJP which has the lionshare of MLAs and MPs in the country also has the highest number of legislators who have declared cases related to ‘crime against women’ against them.
Out of 51 MPs and MLAs, 48 are Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and three are Members of Parliament (MPs), revealed a study by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) – a non-government organisation working for electoral reforms.
The ADR report states:
There are 51 MPs and MLAs who have declared cases of crime against women such as charges related to assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty, kidnapping, abducting or inducing women to compel her to marriage, rape, husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty, buying minor for purposes of prostitution and word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman. (sic)
The analysis showed, 334 candidates who had declared cases related to crime against women were given tickets by recognised political parties.
The study further revealed that among major parties, over the last five years, 48 candidates with declared cases related to crime against women were given tickets by the BJP.
The second highest number of candidates (36) who had declared cases related to crime against women were given tickets by the BSP, followed by 27 candidates from the INC which had contested for LS/RS and state assemblies elections.
Among the states, Maharashtra has the highest number of MPs and MLAs (12) who have declared cases of crime against women, followed by West Bengal (11) and Odisha (6).
Also, among the states, Maharashtra has the highest number of candidates (65) in the last five years, followed by Bihar (62) and West Bengal (52) (including independents) who were given tickets by political parties even though they declared cases related to crime against women in their affidavits, the study added.