No criminals in politics

As the general election is knocking at the door and political parties keep busy declaring their candidates for different Parliamentary constituencies, an advocacy group the National Election Watch (NEW) has come out with a shocking revelation that every major party of India continues nominating candidates with criminal backgrounds. NEW is a nationwide campaign comprising of more than 1200 NGO and other citizen led organizations working on electoral reforms, improving democracy and governance in India. Active in almost all States of the country, the New has been monitoring the candidates (for 2009 Lok Sabha polls) declared by political parties.

The National Election Watch (NEW), an active polls observer group and also a campaigner for democracy and governance in India has disclosed that the oldest party of the country, Indian National Congress has nominated at least 4 candidates, out of 24 candidates, with criminal background in Uttar Pradesh.

All political parties are requested to think seriously to end criminalization of politics. To conserve their popular candidates and for short term election-gains, these political parties are giving absolute power to the goons, who are going to abuse the system for their own person gains in the longer run.