Will support govt if it brings legislation to check criminalisation of politics: Cong

The Congress Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court direction leaving it to Parliament to "cure the malignancy" of criminalisation of politics and said it would support the government if it brought a legislation in this regard.

The ruling BJP said it respects the apex court and its order.

"Whatever verdict the Supreme Court has given, it is the apex court of the country and we respect it," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said at a press conference.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday left it to Parliament to "cure the malignancy" of criminalisation of politics by making a law to ensure that persons facing serious criminal cases do not enter the political arena as the "polluted stream of politics" needs to be cleansed.

Congress leader Kapil Sibal said his party was against criminality in politics and wanted a law to stop even those people from being in politics who have escaped the law and are being charge-sheeted.

"As far as the criminality and politics is concerned, those elements who have criminal background, who are or all those elements who have escaped criminal charge sheets, they should not be in politics. If this government brings a legislation to ensure that criminals are out of politics, we will support it," he told reporters.

He, however, expressed doubts that the government will bring such a law, saying its strength would come down from 282 to 182 then.

He lamented that this government did not bring the Lokpal law despite promising it.