20 Indian men accused of rape ran for office since 2007

At least 20 men accused of raping women ran in Indian elections in the last five years, according to a think tank report published amid growing outrage over Sunday's gang rape of a student on a bus.

The Association for Democratic Reforms study was released on Thursday as political parties lined up to condemn the rape of the 23-year-old woman, which has triggered widespread protests against how women are treated in India.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, ruling Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi and opposition lawmakers have condemned the savage assault, but the association said many Indian parties fielded candidates who were facing rape accusations.

"Since 2007, political parties gave tickets to 20 accused of rape to run in state elections. This is shocking and requires urgent action," said Jagdeep Chhokar, the association's founder.

"The politicians who come out to condemn rape are the ones who are openly giving those accused of rape a chance to run in elections. This is hypocrisy," he said.

The report stated that political parties had also given tickets to 260 men who were charged with other crimes against women, including molestation.

It did not record how many of the accused candidates were found guilty.

"Political parties should stop giving tickets to candidates with criminal backgrounds, and all those lawmakers who are accused in rape cases should be thrown out of power," Chhokar added.

Further protests were held in New Delhi on Friday, with scores of female demonstrators marching to the president's palace.

The rape victim and a male companion were attacked after boarding a bus on Sunday night. The Associated Press reported that the rape victim and her companion were beaten by iron rods as the bus drove through town before the two were stripped and thrown off the moving vehicle.

The rape victim was seriously injured and remains in intensive care.

Five people, including the bus driver, have been arrested so far.

(China Daily 12/22/2012 page7)