Modi in Odisha: Anti-graft laws uniting scam-ridden forces, say PM

He said in the past 4 years, 3,000 raids were conducted by investigating agencies, unveiling undeclared income of Rs 530 billion

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday unleashed a veiled attack on the recent show of strength by the Opposition forces at the swearing-in ceremony of Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy.

Without identifying any party, Modi claimed his government’s move to root out black money and corruption has united those embroiled in big scams.

“Chaos was caused for some when we made strict laws against black money, it made many come together and stand on the same stage. Those accused in big scams are coming together now”, the Prime Minister said, addressing a rally in Cuttack. Modi was in the millennial city to detail the achievements in four years of his government’s reign.

Elaborating on the anti-graft drive, Modi said, “In the past four years, about 3,000 raids were conducted by the investigating agencies and undeclared income of Rs 530 billion was unearthed. Similarly, from about 35000 surveys done by the agencies, we have come to know that there is also an undisclosed income of Rs 450 billion. After promulgation of Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, Rs 35 billion of property has been confiscated. Due to the investigation of the corruptions, four former chief ministers are behind the bars.”

“All are coming in unison, whether one is on bail who is charged with Rs 50 billion corruption or others who are booked under separate cases of corruption. Those involved in scams are coming together, not for the nation, but for themselves, their families.  They are uniting not to save the country but to create instability,” he asserted.

Attacking Congress and the Gandhi family, Modi asked why the Congress didn’t realise that the poor are not being entertained at banks.

“Why didn't the Congress ever see that the lives of poor people also hold value and they also need life insurance,"  he asked.

Hinting at the swelling appeal of the BJP, Modi said the party is now ruling in 20 states with a strength of over 1500 legislators nationwide.

Drifting the narrative to his government’s achievements, Modi said, “From independence till 2014, there were around 60 million toilets in the country but in the last four years, 75 million toilets have been made. From independence till 2014, about 50 per cent of village had roads. In the last four years, more than 85 per cent of the villages have roads till March this year.”

“Till 2014, 39 per cent of the population had access to sanitation facilities; today the figure is over 80 per cent. Against the 130 million LPG connections since independence, our government has provided 100 million connections in the last four years,” Modi told a gathering of about 30,000.

The NDA government led by BJP is committed to serve the country since the President, Vice President and the Pradhan Sevak (Prime Minister) had humble beginnings, he said.