The article discusses the recent events in Uttar Pradesh, India, where the son of gangster and politician Atiq Ahmed was killed in an encounter with the police, and a few days later, Atiq Ahmed himself was assassinated. The incident has sparked a debate in India, with some people celebrating the killing and others condemning it as a failure of law and order.
The article delves into the life of Atiq Ahmed, who was a notorious gangster and politician who had over 100 cases against him, including murder, kidnapping, and extortion. Despite his criminal record, he was able to win elections five times and become a leader.
The article raises questions about the connection between crime and politics in India, where many politicians have criminal records. It cites a report that shows that 43% of parliament leaders have criminal cases against them, and that a candidate can run for election even if they have a criminal case pending against them.
The article also discusses the role of the media in covering up the facts about Atiq Ahmed's criminal record and the lack of scrutiny of politicians with criminal backgrounds. It suggests that the media should dig deeper to expose the root causes of the problem.
The article concludes by emphasizing the need for systemic changes to prevent criminals from becoming politicians. It suggests that citizens can play a role by voting for candidates who do not have criminal records and by demanding more transparency and accountability from politicians.
Overall, the article highlights the deep-seated problems of corruption and criminality in Indian politics and the need for urgent reforms to address these issues.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Atiq Ahmed was a gangster and politician in Uttar Pradesh, India.
2. Atiq Ahmed was first charged with a case at the age of 17, which was for murder.
3. He was booked under the UP's gangster act and was considered the first gangster of UP.
4. Atiq Ahmed entered politics in 1989 and ran for an election from the Allahabad West Assembly, which he won.
5. He won the election five times consecutively.
6. Atiq Ahmed had over 100 cases against him, including serious cases such as murder, kidnapping, and extortion.
7. In 2004, he vacated his seat to take his political career to the next level and become an MP in the Loksabha.
8. His brother lost the election to Raju Pal of the Samajwadi Party, who was later murdered.
9. Atiq Ahmed was put in jail for three years in the Raju Pal murder case but continued to manage his criminal empire from there.
10. In 2017, he was shifted from Allahabad to Deoria jail.
11. Atiq Ahmed kidnapped a businessman, Mohit Jaiswal, and made him sign property papers while in jail.
12. Ten high court judges escaped from hearing Atiq Ahmed's bail cases.
13. Atiq Ahmed was killed by three people who bombarded him with bullets while he was being taken to the hospital for a medical test.
14. The weapons used to kill Atiq Ahmed were imported from Turkey and usually found in Pakistan.
15. The UP police said that Atiq Ahmed had connections with ISIS and Lashkar-e-Toyaba, which he confessed to.
16. Atiq Ahmed's son, Asad, was killed in an encounter by the UP police.
17. In India, 43% of parliament leaders had criminal cases against them in 2019, up from 24% in 2004.
18. There is no law in the Indian constitution that disqualifies a candidate with a criminal case from running for election.
19. A candidate can run for election even if they have a criminal case against them.
20. In 2013, the Supreme Court ruled that convicted officials cannot run for elections for six years.
21. In 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that parties must justify why they chose a candidate with a criminal case against them.
22. The Election Commission has a cVIGIL app that allows citizens to report election-related complaints.
23. The website myneta.info provides information on candidates and their criminal cases.
24. India is a representative democracy, and citizens do not directly choose their chief minister or prime minister.
25. Citizens can choose their representative by voting for someone who is not a criminal, regardless of their party affiliation.