|
Criminalisation of politics |
 |
The famous N.N. Vohra Committee report on the nexus between politicians, bureaucrats and criminals came up with startling facts and suggestions. There were great expectations that some beginning will be made to cleanse politics. But nothing happened. Many criticise the system that brings to the top the worst elements in society. One example is of tainted Ministers.
The BJP is exploiting the issue. Five days before the next session of Parliament on August 16, BJP national vice-president Sushil Kumar Modi sent documents related to the arrest warrant and attachment of property issued against Union minister Mohammed Taslimuddin to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
Taslimuddin, an RJD leader, is facing a non-bailable warrant under the Explosive Substances Act, Arms Act and on attempt to murder charges. The first class judicial magistrate in Araria (Bihar) had issued the warrant in August 1999 while the attachment of property order was issued later in March 2000. In his letter, Modi has requested the Speaker to direct the ‘absconding’ minister to surrender before the police by August 16, failing which the matter would be raised in Parliament.
The letter goes on to say that in 1996, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda had removed Taslimuddin from his ministry as there was no less than a dozen criminal cases against him. “Even in his affidavit filed before the Election Commission in 2004, Taslimuddin has accepted that he is facing nine criminal cases,” said Modi.
As Opposition pressure increases, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil proposes to convene an all-party meeting to examine the issue of barring “criminally-inclined” persons from contesting elections. The number of candidates with criminal background has been increasing with each election. These criminals, in turn, become ministers at the Centre and in the states. Consequently, the damage they inflict on the system of governance and administration is incalculable. It is essential that criminals are rooted out of all the representative institutions - from Parliament to village panchayats. However, this is possible only if there is the required political will, backed by an all-party consensus.
|
