PROTECTING CORRUPT MPs

Dear friends, It’s devastating -- Sonia Gandhi just put India’s democracy at risk and gave cover for corrupt MPs -- all to protect one convicted criminal. But if we act fast we can still kick the gangsters out of government. In July the Supreme Court ruled that politicians convicted of serious crimes must lose their seats immediately. Yesterday, Sonia Gandhi's Congress party rushed through an undemocratic ordinance to overturn this superb anti-corruption measure. With 30% of MPs facing criminal charges in cases that drag out for decades, it feels like open season for corruption. But there is hope -- together we can get a new ruling that all cases against politicians must go through fast track courts, ending their delaying tactics for good. Sonia Gandhi just backed mobsters over the massive 98% majority that want convicted criminals out of power. Let's flood her office with messages demanding she redeem this disaster for democracy and insist that all political cases must be dealt with fast: http://www.avaaz.org/en/soniaas_terrible_choice/?tta In 1989 and 1990 Rasheed Masood MP helped students with lower marks, including his own nephew, fake their way into medical school. His reward for threatening the lives of their future patients? He was made Minister of Health! This is old style politics at its worst. It took over two decades, but he has finally been convicted for his crime. And now Congress has used undemocratic emergency powers to overturn the bold Supreme Court ruling just to protect this criminal! Meanwhile the Supreme Court is about to hear another case, one which would mandate fast track courts for cases against MPs and MLAs. Getting fast track courts would undermine the ordinance at a stroke -- instead of dragging out appeals for years criminals would be fast tracked out of parliament. The government has less than a week to decide whether to support this massive step forward for democracy or continue to support criminals over the will of the people. The Supreme Court has given the government a deadline of next Monday to respond to the case. Rather than rush through an Ordinance to keep criminals in power, Congress has a chance to support a plan to speed up justice and deliver clean democracy. Let’s tell Sonia Gandhi and the rest of her party that voters demand clean politics: http://www.avaaz.org/en/soniaas_terrible_choice/?tta Over 100,000 of us raised their voices to kick the rapists, murderers and fraudsters out of Parliament. We won the first round -- Parliament didn’t overturn the Supreme Court ruling in the last session. Yesterday this amazing victory was undermined, but the fight is not over. Let's all raise our voices now to get fast track courts and stop Congress reinstating mob rule. With hope, Meredith, Aldine, Marie, Julien, Dalia, Alaphia, Ricken and the whole Avaaz team PS - Many Avaaz campaigns are started by members of our community! Start yours now and win on any issue - local, national or global: http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/start_a_petition/?bgMYedb&v=27854 MORE INFORMATION: Cabinet clears ordinance to save convicted netas (NDTV) http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/cabinet-clears-ordinance-to-save-convicted-netas-423081 Cabinet likely to consider ordinance to protect lawmakers (The Times of India) http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Cabinet-likely-to-consider-ordinance-to-protect-lawmakers/articleshow/22982185.cms Cabinet clears ordinance to undo Supreme Court order on convicted lawmakers (The Indian Express) http://www.indianexpress.com/news/cabinet-clears-order-to-undo-supreme-court-order-on-convicted-legislators/1173585/ 98% Indians want criminals to stay out of Parliament: Avaaz survey (The Hindu Business Line) http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/politics/98-indians-want-criminals-to-stay-out-of-parliament-avaaz-survey/article5100330.ece Regards