There are reportedly more than 1200 candidates accused of rape, murder, kidnapping and extortion who are standing for the 545 seats in the Indian Parliament.
Earlier politicians used criminals to get elected through muscle and intimidation. Now it is criminals themselves who are seeking political power. Indian law bars a person from standing for elections once convicted by a court, but that can take years and even decades as cases wind their way through woefully overburdened courts. For example a famous Indian actor allegedly under the influence of alcohol, rammed and killed several people sleeping on a Bandra footpath in 2002, and is only now currently facing trial as we speak. On a separate aspect of these career criminals who are habitual offenders, Indian courts are known to grant bail to them and they are known to commit other serious and similar crimes during their bail period, frustrating police who are involved in investigating, arresting and bringing them through the trial process. The police therefore find their solution of gunning down these repeat offenders of serious crimes very attractive. Both the public and the judges look the other way at these incidents known as "encounters", taking the view "good riddance to bad rubbish". The matter would end there were it not for the "encounter" specialists in the police force getting tainted with all these extra-legal action backfiring on them. Close contact with major hoodlums have corrupted their own morals and it is not uncommon in Bombay for one gang to get those police to bump off their rivals for large payments. Such is the nature of policing and the law in Indian metros, made possible not only by the frustrations and long unreasonable hours on the job but also by the pittance that is paid to all levels of policing in India and the constant interference of people in power who resort to transfers to the boondocks of honest and efficient officers who don't do their bidding. Talking of police salaries and granting the differences between a virtual but not quite third world country as opposed to a first world one, here are comparisons that are nevertheless shocking: (all yearly and in C$) Police Constable (starting): Bombay: 2400 going to 4,600 at end of grade, no overtime but possibly though rarely a 300 sqft slum-like accomodation in a run down police quarters building. Can be called for duties running up to 20 hr per day shifts in a highly polluted environment. Toronto: 55,000, easily and mostly going to 80,000 (rate of $54 per hr) with extra duty work alloted like funeral escorts, large gatherings, private functions and the like. No accomodation provided but generous pension after 20 years. Ratio of police in the two cities: Bombay: 22 million circa population, 40,000 police. Toronto: 2.5 million population, same number 40,000 police. Roland. Sent from Samsung Mobile
