Chandigarh: The upcoming Haryana Assembly Election 2024 is once again witnessing a large number of candidates with criminal backgrounds and millionaire profiles. A recent report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Election Watch has revealed that many candidates contesting the election are involved in serious criminal cases. The report is based on the analysis of affidavits submitted by 1,028 candidates, uncovering several surprising facts.
Rising Number of Criminal Candidates
In the Haryana election, 133 candidates have declared criminal cases against them, out of which 95 are facing serious charges like murder and rape. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leads with 37 criminal candidates, followed by the Congress with 28, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with 9, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) with 15, the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) with 13, and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) with 6 candidates declaring criminal cases.
There are also alarming statistics regarding crimes against women, with 11 candidates facing charges related to offenses against women, and 2 candidates charged with rape. Additionally, 6 candidates are facing murder charges, while 8 are accused of attempted murder.
Dominance of Millionaire Candidates
The political battlefield is also dominated by millionaire candidates. For the 90 assembly seats, BJP and Congress have fielded the highest number of millionaire candidates. BJP has 85, and Congress has 84 millionaire candidates. AAP has fielded 52, JJP 46, and INLD 34 millionaire candidates. BSP also has 18 millionaire candidates contesting the election.
Interestingly, five candidates have declared zero assets. These include Manish from All India Kisan Mazdoor Party (Faridabad NIT), Abid Khan (Independent, Badkhal), Adarsh Balyan (Independent, Faridabad), Rajeev Khattak from Jansevak Kranti Party (Barwala), and Sarita (Independent, Nilokheri SC).
Most Indebted Candidates
Gopal Kanda, leader of the Haryana Lokhit Party (HALOPA) and candidate from Sirsa, is the most indebted, with ₹83 crore debt despite owning assets worth ₹133 crore. Rohtash Singh of Congress (Sohna) follows with ₹67 crore debt, and Independent candidate Dilbagh (Uchana Kalan) has ₹56 crore in debt.
In terms of income, Congress candidate Rohtash Singh from Sohna has declared the highest annual income of ₹29 crore, followed by Rajbir Fartia from Loharu with ₹10 crore annual income. Independent candidate Naveen Goyal from Gurugram has declared an annual income of ₹7 crore.
Decline in Educational Qualifications
When it comes to education, only 493 candidates are graduates. A total of 486 candidates have completed education from 5th to 12th grade. 26 candidates have declared themselves as diploma holders. Remarkably, 15 candidates have declared themselves illiterate, and one candidate has not disclosed their educational qualification.
Age Breakdown of Candidates
In terms of age, 81 candidates are in the 60 to 80-year age group. A total of 319 candidates fall in the 25 to 40-year age bracket, while 528 candidates are between 41 and 60 years old. This shows that the majority of candidates belong to the middle-aged demographic.
The 2024 Haryana Assembly Election is not just about caste equations but also about the financial status and criminal backgrounds of the candidates. The significant presence of criminal and millionaire candidates may impact the election dynamics. The educational and age demographics of the candidates also highlight the diversity in Haryana’s political landscape.