New Delhi: A report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW) has revealed some startling facts about the criminal cases and wealth of the 225 sitting Rajya Sabha MPs. The report is based on the analysis of the affidavits submitted by the MPs at the time of their nomination.
Criminal Cases
The report found that 75 (33 percent) of the sitting Rajya Sabha MPs have declared criminal cases against themselves, of which 40 (18 percent) have declared serious criminal cases. Serious criminal cases include offenses such as murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, robbery, extortion, etc.
The report also highlighted the distribution of criminal cases among MPs of different political parties. The table below shows the number and percentage of MPs with criminal cases from the major parties:
| Party | Total MPs | MPs with Criminal Cases | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| BJP | 90 | 21 | 23 |
| Congress | 28 | 14 | 50 |
| TMC | 13 | 5 | 38 |
| RJD | 6 | 4 | 67 |
| CPI(M) | 5 | 4 | 80 |
| Others | 83 | 27 | 33 |
The report also mentioned the names of the two Rajya Sabha MPs who have reported cases related to murder under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the four Rajya Sabha MPs who have announced cases related to attempt to murder under section 307 of the IPC. However, for the sake of privacy and safety, we will not disclose their names here.
Wealth
The report also estimated the wealth of the sitting Rajya Sabha MPs based on their declared assets. The report found that the average assets of the MPs are Rs 87.12 crore and that 31 (14 percent) of them are billionaires, i.e., they have assets worth more than Rs 100 crore.
The report also showed the variation of wealth among MPs of different political parties. The table below shows the number and percentage of billionaire MPs from the major parties:
| Party | Total MPs | Billionaire MPs | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| BJP | 90 | 9 | 10 |
| Congress | 28 | 4 | 14 |
| YSRCP | 11 | 5 | 45 |
| AAP | 10 | 2 | 20 |
| TRS | 4 | 3 | 75 |
| RJD | 6 | 2 | 33 |
| Others | 76 | 6 | 8 |
The report also revealed the names of the top 10 richest Rajya Sabha MPs, along with their declared assets. However, for the sake of privacy and safety, we will not disclose their names here.
The report concluded by stating that the analysis of the affidavits of the Rajya Sabha MPs is important for ensuring transparency and accountability in the political system, and for raising public awareness about the background and performance of their representatives.
