Criminality in Politics
Undoubtedly, the political parties endorse the entry of criminals in politics considering the winnability factor. Despite the intervention of EC, Supreme Court’s admirable move to verify the credentials of the candidates and an ever keen watchdog media, the scourge of criminality is still prevalent, writes Ashwini Ahuja.
The festival of elections will end after some days but the debate on the issue of tickets to criminal background candidates will not die down. It is usual affair, whenever the election days come; the debate heats up. After the elections over, dust settles down. All political parties irresponsibly give tickets to such candidates without bothering the gravity of the crimes they have committed. Media, TV channels repeatedly focus on the issue. Sometimes, down to enormous pressure and clamour over the dispensation, parties replace their candidates but over the election, all things are settled down because the all political parties know the habit of voters forgetting things.If we recall back, during the past 62 years, no ruling party either in the centre or at states has endeavored to weed out criminality in politics. The presence of criminals in parliament and state assemblies are widespread. No government has ever thought over the need of any independent creditable agency which could investigate the criminal cases against politicians. Why it so happens? Analysts say, obviously it is the criminal-politician nexus that stop the parliamentarians passing the legislation that would get rid of the corrupt and criminal elements in politics. Political parties know the criminals have the guts to win elections by hook or by crook. Politicians opt for them considering their winnability factor. Politicians are aware they can convert their muscle power into votes. Criminal history reveals that they enter politics to gain influence so that the cases against them are dropped or not proceeded with. Thanks to their financial clout they are able to get a significant place for them in politics. Political parties too use the blow of criminals in elections judging the muscle and money blend in them. Also, they tap them for funds and in return provide them with political patronage and protection as well.No doubt, under the Supreme Court orders, the Election Commission has made it mandatory for candidates, before filling the nomination, to disclose the details of their property, details of criminal background (if any), their liabilities to public financial institutions plus their educational qualifications. It is a first good step which has been taken to remove the criminal elements from our houses. To tackle the problem in totality, apart from judiciary and election commission, the government also should pass legislation. But the pertinent question is: will the government do? If a law is enacted to check on their criminal record, it would not be possible for them to escape, so, if you are- as a common man of the country- dreaming a good time ahead when criminals might be shunted out of politics, you are having your head in the clouds. Pragmatically, eradicating the criminality in politics at present is one of the toughest tasks. It has captured an immeasurable space in politics. The National Commission to review the working of the constitution also points out that criminalization has become a disquieting characteristic of India's politics and its electoral system. Large sections of society have always condemned the presence of criminals in parliament and assemblies and also they have done their efforts to eliminate the scourge. But it is not enough. We sensibly need to find out the concrete ways how we can pressurize the government maximum enacting the law & purging the system et al.In reality, no government is ever serious thanks to its selfish motives. We are also remained unsuccessful to convince our voters who play significant role in choosing criminal candidates. We enjoy when they play foul games. We all are not united. Some of us glorify murderers and scoundrels. Don’t wonder if we, in the years to come, see their dominance stronger in politics. Because of such criminals, our democracy has become unjust where political parties are compelled to buy MPs or MLAs to the save or to fall off the governments. Don’t surprise, in the present election also despite the pressure and media campaign, Congress, BJP; BSP & Samajwadi Party- all have fielded the candidates of criminal background respectively 24%, 29%, 19% & 43%. In the last UP assembly elections also, out of the total 5,539 contested candidates 965 had criminal records. In 1996, as many as 39 members of the parliament faced criminal charges. In 1998 Lok Sabha elections, out of the 500 candidates 72 had criminal proceedings pending against them. In fact, politics is a safe place for criminals. Political power protects them from facing the law of land. Likewise, they enjoy the bliss of their authority. We have seen several hardcore criminals, murderers, rapists; scamsters after joining the politics have become big leaders. Despite that their inclination doesn’t change. They loot the country; encourage booth capturing, murder, rape having connivance with the other groups of dons and mafia but when the law does its course against them they instantly start crying that the action against them is politically motivated. Will Durant- one of world’s greatest philosophers had once written in his book, in the last stage of the democracy, gangmen will rule. Criminals will flourish joyfully. The law of the land will guarantee them full protection. If they are in politics, they will commit crimes. They will not be arrested. If arrested, they will not be convicted, if convicted, they will not imprisoned, if imprisoned, they will be pardoned, if not pardoned, they will be allowed to escape. Meanwhile if they are killed in encounter, the governments will bury them with dignity and in their remembrance, memorials will be built. No doubt, it is the picture of the last stage of the democracy we are now watching. Should we celebrate the decay of democracy? If not, it is the time to think seriously how we can thwart the dominance of criminality in politics. All the leading political-parties itself should introspect; the loopholes in the legal system should be plugged. The EC should act ruthlessly and more strictly against all those parties that support candidates with criminal record. Glorification of criminals is a bad practice; it must be checked for the welfare of the democratic setup.
This article was published in Greater Kashmir on 5th May 2009.
