Kejriwal renews attack on 'criminal' MPs

Ghaziabad, March 30 (IANS) Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal, who faces a privilege motion from the Lok Sabha, reiterated Friday that parliament's "tendency to induct criminal MPs" was increasing.

"A total of 522 criminal cases are being carried in the court against 162 MPs of which 76 are of heinous nature. The tendency to induct criminal MPs into the parliament is being increased," he said while addressing a press conference at his home in Kaushambi in this town adjoining Delhi.

"In 2004, 128 MPS were from a criminal background... the strength reached 162 in 2009," he said, adding that cases of bribery against parliamentarians was a "well known fact".

His Team Anna colleague, lawyer Prashant Bhushan, alleged that the privilege motion was being abused by parliamentarians.

He said the basic spirit of the provision of a privilege motion was to give freedom to MPs to raise questions.