"Bombs and pistols do not make a revolution. The sword of revolution is sharpened on the whetting stone of ideas"-  Bhagat Singh.

The Hussainiwala National Martyrs Memorial, honoring Indian freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru, stands in Firozpur district, Punjab. Shiromani Akali Dal candidate for Firozpur Nardev Singh declared ownership of a 12 Bore DBBL Gun, One Pistol and a Rifle as per the affidavit filed to Election commission. Ludhiana, Sukhdev's birthplace, saw BJP candidate Ravneet Singh disclosing possession of a pistol worth Rs. 25,000 in his affidavit. Similarly, the BJP candidate from Shahjahanpur, Ram Prasad Bismil's birthplace, declared owning a rifle and revolver valued at Rs. 1.25 lakhs in his affidavit.

Having reached 75 years of Independence, we look ahead to 2031, the centenary year of the martyrdom of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru, who gave their lives for India's Independence. This prompts the question: Does our independent Republic of India lack the capacity to ensure the safety of lawmakers, necessitating their possession of firearms?

On January 21, 2023, tragedy struck Monterey Park, California, United States, in a mass shooting that claimed eleven lives and left nine others wounded. Similarly, in 2022, a student opened fire at a university in Perm, Russia, resulting in multiple fatalities and numerous injuries. New Zealand also faced devastation in 2019 when a gunman massacred 51 individuals and wounded many others at two mosques in Christchurch. This horrific incident prompted New Zealand to implement stricter gun control measures. While there is a heated global discourse surrounding citizens' rights to bear arms, I'd like to delve into a different topic: Why do lawmakers feel the need to carry firearms in India?

Citizens' gun rights are a deeply debated topic. Mahatma Gandhi, known as the Ambassador of Nonviolence, advocated for the right to possess firearms for self-defense. In his famous 11 Point Demand to Irwin, one of the demands was the issuance of licenses for firearm use for self-defense, subject to popular control. In contrast, revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh argued that real change stems from ideas, not weapons; they sharpen the sword of revolution with ideas, not firearms. Ironically, Gandhi, who demanded for Indians to have the right to bear arms, fell victim to gun violence himself, being shot three times in the chest with a Beretta M1934 pistol by an Indian. However, the focus I intend to highlight isn't on citizens' rights to bear arms, but rather on the perceived necessity for lawmakers to possess firearms.

“The State exists on the basis of implied consent of the Governed. The principal reason for people to come together under the organization of the State is the fundamental principle that the State will be in a position to always protect the lives and properties of the citizens”.A bench of Justices K M Joseph and B V Nagarathna made these observations. Yemen, Nigeria etc are called failed states. The simplest definition of a failed state is one that cannot fulfill its most basic responsibility: to provide security. If the state no longer has a monopoly on violence, everything else breaks down, from electricity to roads, schools to health care. Hence, it becomes the lawmakers' foremost duty to ensure citizen safety. However, when lawmakers themselves possess weapons, it raises concerns about their ability to instill confidence in citizens regarding their safety.

India's Defense Minister and BJP candidate from the Lucknow seat, Rajnath Singh, possesses two weapons: a 32 bore and a double-barrel gun. The Minister of State for Home and BJP candidate from Ujiarpur, Nityanand Rai also owns a rifle. Additionally, Union Cabinet Ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Purshottam Rupala, BJP candidates for the Jodhpur and Rajkot seats, respectively, possess weapon as declared in their affidavits filed with the Election Commission.

It's not just BJP candidates who own weapons; prominent members of the SP also possess arms. Akshay Yadav, the SP candidate from Firozabad and cousin of SP leader Akhilesh Yadav, owns two weapons. Aditya Yadav, an SP candidate from Badaun, has a pistol valued at Rs 2.68 lakh. Aditya is the son of Shivpal Singh Yadav. Another cousin of Akhilesh Yadav, SP member from Azamgarh Dharmendra Yadav, owns both a pistol and a rifle worth a combined Rs 1.84 lakh.

It's not only the male members who own weapons; female members do as well. Maneka Gandhi, former Cabinet Minister and BJP candidate from Sultanpur, owns a rifle. Krishna Devi Patel, the SP candidate from Banda, owns both a rifle and a revolver valued at Rs. 1 lakh, yet she hasn't filed any income tax returns. Additionally, SP candidate from Moradabad, Ruchi Veera, and BJP candidates Rekha Verma and Rajni Rawat also possess weapons.

The table shows the percentage of candidates from various political parties who possess weapons. The SP fielded 51 candidates, with 36 of them (70.59%) having weapons. The INC had 13 candidates, 6 of whom (46.15%) were armed. The AITC had a single candidate who was armed, resulting in a 100% rate. Similarly, the RLD's 2 candidates were both armed, also reaching 100%. The BJP had 63 candidates, with 47 (74.60%) possessing weapons. 

Overall, There are a total of 130 candidates from the INDIA and NDA alliances in the election on 65 seats. Out of these, 92 candidates possess weapons. Many of them have more than one, with a total of 146 weapons among them. On average, this means each armed candidate possesses 1.5 weapons.

Jagdambika Pal, a former One-day CM of Uttar Pradesh and BJP candidate for Domariyaganj, declares three firearms in his possession: a revolver, a gun, and a rifle. Notably, the declared prices of these weapons in his affidavit are surprisingly low, listed as Rs. 2000, Rs. 1500, and Rs. 2000 respectively.

Karan Bhushan Singh, the son of former Wrestling Federation of India Chairman Brij Bhushan Singh, is contesting elections from Kaisarganj on the BJP ticket. He declares ownership of a guns valued at 13 lakhs, along with a pistol and a rifle, each valued at 7 lakhs, totaling a combined worth of 27 lakhs for the three weapons.

In the Jaunpur seat, Babu Singh Kushwaha from SP and Kripashankar Singh from BJP are contesting the election, each possessing three weapons. Similarly, SP candidates Lalji Verma from Ambedkar Nagar and SP Candidate Ram Shiromani Verma from Shrawasti also each own three weapons. Former Union minister and BJP Candidate from Pilibhit, Jitan Prasad also owns three weapons. 

In the Farrukhabad seat, both the BJP and SP candidates own a pistol and a rifle, each valued at 90,000 and 75,000 respectively. In Bhadoi, Laliteshpati Tripathi from the All India Trinamool Congress is contesting from the INDIA quota in UP and possesses two weapons.

Amarpal, who's running for SP in Baghpat, has a pistol and a rifle worth 6 lakhs. He's accused of serious crimes like murder and attempted murder. Meanwhile, Babu Singh Kushwaha, another SP candidate from Jaunpur, has three weapons and is facing 25 cases, including forgery and cheating. Imran Masood, an INC candidate from Sahranpur, has been convicted for making false statements in connection with an election and has charges of criminal intimidation and forgery for cheating against him. Masood owns a Revolver. 

Well-educated candidates also possess weapons. Dr. Naval Kishor Shakya of the SP, who holds an M.S. in General Surgery from King George's Medical University, Lucknow, owns two weapons. Dr. Ram Shankar Katheria, who has a Ph.D. from Kanpur University, owns a revolver.

In Bihar, 64 candidates of the NDA and INDIA are contesting 32 seats over six phases. Among these candidates, 27 (42.19%) possess weapons.

Breaking it down by party, the JDU has 14 candidates, with half (50%) of them being armed. The BJP has 12 candidates, with 4 (33.33%) possessing weapons. Out of 5 LJP candidates, 2 (40%) are armed. The HAM and CPM each have one candidate, both of whom possess weapons, resulting in a 100% rate for both parties.

The RJD fields 20 candidates, with 10 (50%) owning weapons. The INC has 7 candidates, but only 1 (14.29%) is armed. The VIP fields 3 candidates, with 1 (33.33%) possessing a weapon. The CPI has one candidate who does not possess any weapons.

Bodh Gaya, the site where Buddha, a global icon of peace, attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree, remains one of the world's most significant and sacred Buddhist pilgrimage destinations. However, in stark contrast to Buddha's teachings of peace and non-violence, the RJD candidate from Bodh Gaya possesses weapons, including a pistol and a rifle, valued at ₹3.48 lakhs. Similarly, the HAM candidate for the Gaya seat, former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi, owns a weapon worth ₹25,000. 

Mahatma Gandhi is considered a global icon of peace in the modern world. The Champaran Satyagraha of 1917 was his first satyagraha movement in India. Fast forward to 2024, candidates from the BJP and VIP in East Champaran own weapons. In West Champaran, the BJP candidate also owns a weapon.

Radhamohan Singh, former Union Cabinet Minister for Agriculture and BJP candidate from East Champaran, owns revolvers and a rifle. Dr. Sanjay Jayswal, the BJP candidate from West Champaran, owns a pistol and a rifle. In his affidavit, he mentioned that the rifle was a gift.

Bima Bharati, a former Bihar government minister, owns two weapons valued at a total of 4 lakhs. Her annual income, as mentioned in her affidavit, is 3.81 lakhs. This means she owns weapons worth 105% of her annual income.

Analyzing affidavits from over 540 constituencies poses a significant challenge for an Individual. Many candidates have submitted affidavits in languages other than Hindi and English, complicating analysis for individual. This article aims to shed light on this overlooked issue and stimulate public discourse. The task now lies with watchdog institutions like the Association for Democratic Reforms and others. The objective of this article extends beyond mere numerical analysis to questioning why lawmakers feel the necessity to carry arms.

Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, owns a revolver and a rifle. In his 2019 affidavit for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Chief Minister Eknath Sinde declared ownership of a revolver and pistol valued at 4.45 lakhs. Dr. Mohan Yadav, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, owns a revolver and a gun worth 88,000. Bhagwat Mann, the Chief Minister of Punjab, owns a gun. Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren also owns a rifle worth 55000.