It is bad enough that we have leaders with pending criminal charges against them. But what happens when the very same leaders get guns from the government?
The Association for Democratic Reforms has put out a report analysing the 82 MPs who have purchased guns from the government.
A total of 756 guns were sold to MPs and VIPs between 1987 and 2012. A total of 675 guns were sold between 1987 and 2001, 39 between 2001 and 2004, and 42 between 2005 and 2012.
Between 2001 and 2012, 82 MPs have purchased guns from the government. 18 of these 82 MPs who were sold guns have pending criminal cases against them, including charges of murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, etc., at the time of sale.
Among the 82 MPs who have been allotted guns from the government, Â Atiq Ahmed from Uttar Pradesh has 44 criminal cases including charges of murder, attempt to murder, etc., followed by Abu Asim Azmi from Maharashtra and Rakesh Sachan from Uttar Pradesh with 7 cases each.
These are guns seized by the customs and then sold to MPs and VIPs on a first come first serve basis. In earlier years these guns were sold well below market price. Recently the price was hiked.
