Crime graph rising steadily under UPA

Pankaj Sharma and Ajay Vaishnav/ZRG

Perceived as a weak government by the opposition, the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government has earned yet another dubious distinction. As per the latest National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) annual report for 2011, the crime rates under the UPA regimes have increased by 27.60 per cent, which otherwise posted an improvement of 3.54 per cent during the NDA rule. As per a Zee Research Group analysis, the average crime rate is rising by four per cent under the incumbent government. In contrast, it averaged minus one per cent under the NDA regime. The NCRB data points that the number of cognizable crime cases between 2005 and 2011, which marks the UPA rule, have jumped to 23,25,575 in 2011 from 18,22,602 in 2005. In comparison, the number of cases dipped from 17,79,111 in 1998 to 17,16,120 in 2003 during the NDA regime. The UPA can take solace in the fact that under it, the number of counterfeiting cases have come down from 2383 in 2005 to 2307 in 2011. It is a massive reduction of 3.19 per cent as compared to NDA regime’s 51.88 per cent. But the greater cause for concern for the UPA is the rising number of cases of robbery and rape which registered a sharp jump of 39.76 per cent and 31.85 per cent respectively. The robbery and rape cases which stood at 17673 and 18359 in 2005 reached 24700 and 24206 in 2011 respectively. Likewise, the cases of dowry deaths, molestation, theft and murder have also increased by 26.98 per cent, 25.73 per cent, 24.78 per cent and 4.85 per cent respectively between 2005 and 2011. The increasing instances of rapes, dowry deaths and molestations, if anything, indicate that crimes against women, especially rape and molestation, are on the rise in the country. Barring the cases of counterfeiting, molestation and rape, crime in other categories reported an improvement when NDA was in power. Between 1998 and 2003, cases of robbery, murder, theft and dowry deaths reduced by 25.69 per cent, 15.36 per cent, 14.79 per cent and 10.25 per cent respectively. During the same period, however, cases of counterfeiting, molestation and rape posted a whopping growth of 51.88 per cent, 6.10 per cent and 5.43 per cent respectively. In particular, last two years have been a disaster for the Manmohan Singh government. The crime rate, which stood at just 1 per cent, showing a positive improvement in crime situation in 2009, has experienced a sharp increase of 5 per cent by 2010 and 2011. However, the worst year for ruling alliance was 2006 when the crime rate posted a growth of 6 per cent from 2005.