Question

What do you mean by criminalisation of politics?

Hint:

When discussing this issue, it's helpful to mention the two sides of the coin: (1) criminals becoming politicians and (2) politicians patronizing criminals. Both aspects constitute the criminalization of politics.

Answer 1

Step 1: Key Concept:
Criminalization of politics refers to the increasing participation and influence of individuals with criminal backgrounds in the political process and governance. It involves criminals contesting elections, getting elected to legislatures, holding ministerial positions, and using their political power to protect and promote their criminal activities.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The phenomenon of criminalization of politics involves several aspects:
1. Entry of Criminals into Politics: It signifies a trend where individuals facing serious criminal charges (like murder, kidnapping, extortion) contest elections and often win, using their money and muscle power.
2. Politician-Criminal Nexus: It also refers to the unholy alliance between politicians and criminals. Politicians often use criminals to intimidate voters, capture booths, and raise illicit funds for elections. In return, the criminals receive political patronage and protection from the law.
3. Erosion of Democratic Values: This trend undermines the very foundations of democracy. It erodes public trust in the political system, leads to poor governance, encourages corruption, and compromises the rule of law.
4. Causes: The main causes for this trend include the high cost of elections, the use of muscle power to win elections, the slow and often ineffective judicial process, and the willingness of political parties to give tickets to candidates who have a high 'winnability' factor, regardless of their criminal record.
Various efforts, including Supreme Court judgments and electoral reforms, are being made to curb this menace.