NDA 3.0: 8 Ministers Face Hate Speech Cases; 11 Are 12th Pass, ADR’s Analysis Show
In a comprehensive analysis conducted by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch, the self-sworn affidavits of 71 out of 72 ministers, including the Prime Minister, from the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections and the current Rajya Sabha were scrutinised. According to the analysis, eight ministers are facing hate speech cases Giriraj Singh, Amit Shah, Nityanand Rai Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Shantanu Thakur, Sukanta Majumdar, Shobha Karandlaje and Dharmendra Pradhan.
The analysis revealed that a significant number of ministers have criminal cases against them. Out of the 71 ministers, 28 have declared criminal cases, constituting 39% of the total. More concerning are the serious criminal cases against 19 ministers, which include charges of attempt to murder, kidnapping, and crimes against women.
| Ministers with cases related to Attempt to Murder (Source: ADR) | ||||||
| S.No. | Name | State | Constituency | Party | Total Cases | Serious IPC |
| 1 | Shantanu Thakur | West Bengal | Bangaon (SC) | BJP | 23 | 37 |
| 2 | Sukanta Majumdar | West Bengal | Balurghat | BJP | 16 | 30 |
Specifically, two ministers have declared cases related to attempt to murder under IPC Section 307, and five ministers have cases involving crimes against women.
| Ministers with declared cases related to crime against women (Source: ADR) | ||||||
| S.No. | Name | State | Constituency | Party | Total Cases | Serious IPC |
| 1 | Bandi Sanjay Kumar | Telangana | Karimnagar | BJP | 42 | 30 |
| 2 | Shantanu Thakur | West Bengal | Bangaon (SC) | BJP | 23 | 37 |
| 3 | Sukanta Majumdar | West Bengal | Balurghat | BJP | 16 | 30 |
| 4 | Suresh Gopi | Kerala | Thrissur | BJP | 4 | 2 |
| 5 | Jual Oram | Odisha | Sundargarh (ST) | BJP | 3 | 0 |
Additionally, eight ministers have declared cases related to hate speech, highlighting a worrying trend in the criminal backgrounds of the country’s leaders.
| Hate Speech Cases Against Union Ministers (Source (ADR) | ||||||
| S.No. | Name | State | Constituency | Party | Total Cases | Serious IPC |
| 1 | Bandi Sanjay Kumar | Telangana | Karimnagar | BJP | 42 | 30 |
| 2 | Shantanu Thakur | West Bengal | Bangaon (SC) | BJP | 23 | 37 |
| 3 | Sukanta Majumdar | West Bengal | Balurghat | BJP | 16 | 30 |
| 4 | Shobha Karandlaje | Karnataka | Bangalore North | BJP | 5 | 4 |
| 5 | Dharmendra Pradhan | Odisha | Sambalpur | BJP | 5 | 3 |
| 6 | Giriraj Singh | Bihar | Begusarai | BJP | 3 | 9 |
| 7 | Nityanand Rai | Bihar | Ujiarpur | BJP | 3 | 4 |
| 8 | Amit Shah | Gujarat | Gandhinagar | BJP | 3 | 3 |
Financially, the ministers are predominantly wealthy, with 70 out of the 71 analysed being crorepatis, representing 99% of the total. The average assets of these ministers are valued at Rs 107.94 crores. Six ministers have declared assets exceeding Rs 100 crores, showcasing significant financial power among the cabinet. Despite their substantial assets, 55 ministers have declared liabilities, indicating financial obligations alongside their wealth.
In terms of education, the analysis shows a varied picture. Eleven ministers have declared their highest educational qualification to be 12th standard, accounting for 15% of the total. A majority of the ministers, 57 in total or 80%, have declared themselves as graduates or higher. This group includes 14 graduates, 10 graduate professionals, 26 postgraduates, and seven doctorates. Additionally, there are three ministers who hold diplomas.
The age distribution among the ministers reveals that 17 ministers, or 24%, are between 31 to 50 years old. A significant majority, 47 ministers, are between 51 to 70 years old, making up 66% of the total. There are also seven ministers, representing 10%, who are between 71 to 80 years old. Gender representation remains skewed with only seven women ministers, making up 10% of the 71 ministers analysed.
The details of George Kurien were excluded as he is neither a member of either house nor a contestant in the Lok Sabha Election.
