London, United Kingdom (March 17, 2013): The Sikh Federation (UK) informed Sikh Siyasat News (SSN), through an article that during the debate in the UK Parliament on 28 February, 2013 UK MPs did not go as far as to mention the widespread criminalisation of politics in India despite the briefing provided by the Sikh Federation (UK). This combined with the way votes are secured in India seriously undermines the concept of India as a democracy, let alone the largest democracy.
As per the Sikh Federation UK the MPs were supplied Andrew North’s report produced in February 2013 for BBC Newsnight that one third of India’s 4,835 elected representatives have declared criminal charges against them – many of them face serious cases like murder, rape and kidnapping. (See link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-21469286).
“What will however worry India is that many politicians in the UK, across other parts of Europe and no doubt other parts of the developed world have increasingly been talking about this in private when the subject is brought up. It is only a matter of time before this is no longer a taboo subject and some openly challenge India and question if it is a properly functioning democracy’ the article states.
“During the debate on 28 February David Ward, Liberal Democrat MP for Bradford East speaking about the ‘big elephant in the chamber’ – trade links with India – said: ‘It would be immoral, in my view, if growing trade links were used as an excuse for holding back on deserved criticism.” it reads further.