HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao is among six MLAs and three MPs from Telangana, who have declared cases related to hate speech, according to an analysis by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW).
Of the 74 legislators and 33 MPs with such cases from across the country, 42 belong to the BJP, ADR said after analysing the election affidavits submitted to the election commission during their last respective elections.
In the last five years, 480 candidates with declared cases related to hate speech have contested elections for Assemblies and Parliament, the ADR found.
“By giving tickets to candidates who have been charged with cases related to hate speech, especially promoting enmity between religious groups and for committing acts that are intended to outrage religious feelings, political parties have been in a way abetting circumstances that lead to events such as communal riots and violence between different groups of people,” ADR observed.
Meanwhile, among sitting MPs in the list, seven are from Uttar Pradesh, four from Tamil Nadu, three each from Bihar, Karnataka and Telangana, two each from Assam, Gujarat, Maharashtra and West Bengal and one MP each from Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Odisha and Punjab. In a further breakup, ADR found that 22 sitting MPs are from the BJP, two from the Congress and one each from AAP, AIMIM, AIUDF, DMK, MDMK, Pattali Makkal Katchi, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and one Independent MP.
According to ADR, among the sitting MLAs figuring in the dubious list, nine each are from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, six each from Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Telangana, five each from Assam and Tamil Nadu, four each from Delhi, Gujarat and West Bengal, three each from Jharkhand and Uttarakhand, two each from Karnataka, Punjab, Rajasthan and Tripura and one MLA each from Madhya Pradesh and Odisha.
Approximately, 20 sitting MLAs with cases related to hate speech are from the BJP, 13 from Congress, six from AAP, five each from SP and YSRCP, four each from DMK and RJD, three each from AITC and SHS, two from AIUDF and one each from AIMIM, CPI (M), NCP, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, TDP, TMP, TRS and two independent legislators.
