PM Modi Asserts Action Against Corruption, Stresses on National Security

New Delhi, Mar 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted on Wednesday that people used to question why the CBI and the ED were not acting against powerful individuals. Now, those powerful and corrupt individuals are asking why the agencies are acting against them. Modi's comments at News18 group's Rising Bharat summit came amid allegations that his government had been using probe agencies to target opposition leaders.Modi recalled the Balakot airstrikes of 2019, stating that terror ringleaders and countries harbouring desires of development and peace have experienced rising Bharat. He added that this new India does not tolerate the wounds of terrorism and teaches a lesson to those responsible for such wounds. The prime minister appeared to take a swipe at Pakistan, saying that people of the country and the world are witnessing the condition of those who used to give India wounds of terror attacks.A secure country is the basis of a developed country, Modi asserted. He targeted the opposition, stating that while his government is busy framing a roadmap for the next 25 years and planning for the first 100 days of its third term, the opposition has just heaped its 104th abuse on him. He cited opposition leaders' remarks threatening him and likening him to Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, seen by many as a zealot.Modi cited massive hauls of cash from leaders belonging to parties like the Congress and the Trinamool Congress, saying his government's tough action against corruption has rattled them into abusing him. These abuses will not make any difference, he said, asserting that he gets blessings from the poor who have been receiving all the benefits meant for them, unlike in the past when a huge chunk of welfare money used to be siphoned off.The prime minister said there has been another significant difference in today's situation compared to before 2014. The self-confidence of people in a country whose prestige is falling cannot remain high. Before 2014, corruption was a significant issue in every household, and the country's prestige was falling. The then government used to be busy defending its scams by resorting to false narratives and lies, Modi said.The government today is taking strong action, giving an account of that action, and corrupt individuals are lying to save themselves, he said. The country earlier used to ask why agencies are not acting against powerful people; now, powerful and corrupt individuals are asking why agencies are taking action against them, he said. This change has come about in the last ten years. This boils down to neeyat sahi; toh kaam sahi, he said.Action against corruption is his commitment, Modi asserted. Corruption was high earlier as offices had become power centres instead of service centres, he said. The country has made up its mind, he said, referring to the slogan of Phir ek baar, Modi sarkar.He said more than Rs 34 lakh crore has been transferred to beneficiaries of numerous welfare schemes over the last ten years. Most of this amount would have been pocketed by corrupt individuals under the previous government – a reference to the Congress-led UPA dispensation during 2004-14.The next five years would be unprecedented transformation, growth and expansion, he said, asserting that it is his guarantee. While India was seen as an additional weight on an overloaded flight till 2014, it is now a passenger without whom the global flight cannot take off and will become the pilot in the next five years, he said.India has no reason to be behind any country and people have to work with a nation-first approach, he said. It is this attitude which has powered India's rise. He cited huge growth in India's exports, forex reserves and other development indicators to make his point.Referring to the ongoing election process, Modi said that as the mother of democracy, this exercise was a matter of pride for all its citizens. The whole world calls the 21st century India's century. All rating agencies and economists are assured about rising Bharat without any ifs or buts in their minds; why is it so? It is so because the whole world is seeing that in the last ten years India has made big transformations due to neeyat (intention) – Nation First.Every poor person in India believes in Modi Ki Guarantee (Modi's guarantee), he said. Those who were earlier asked for guarantees to open bank accounts now have Modi taking their guarantee. Today Modi ki Guarantee has a positive effect; it does not need any advertisement; this is the guarantee that Modi took for poor people.He said that middle-class individuals were ignored by earlier governments. In contrast, over the last ten years, they have changed a lot: today Rs 7 lakh income is tax-free; earlier Rs 2 lakh income was taxable; home loan interest rates have been reduced.In the last ten years, every day two new colleges were built and every week one university was established. Jisko kisine nahi pucha (those who weren't cared for by anyone), usko Modi ne puja hai (are worshipped by Modi), he said.In the last ten years, 25 crore people came out of poverty; this did not happen easily. India became the fifth-largest economy; forex reserves exceeded $700 billion.