Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday dismissed allegations from opposition events about people being focused by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led authorities, stating that almost all of cases pursued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) contain people and entities not associated to politics. In an interview with ANI, he emphasised that law-abiding residents haven’t any trigger for concern, however those engaged in corruption ought to be cautious of going through penalties, citing a “fear of sin” amongst wrongdoers.
What did PM Modi say?
“How many opposition leaders are in jail? No one tells me. And is this the same opposition leader… who used to run their government? There is fear of sin (paap ka dar hai). What fear does an honest person have? They had put my Home Minister in jail when I was Chief Minister. The country should understand that political leaders are involved in only 3 per cent of the ED cases and 97 per cent of cases are registered against the ones who do not belong to the politics,” the Prime Minister stated. “They are either drug mafia, officers who are involved in corruption, against some of the officers who have created benami assets and they have been sent to jail,” he added.
How a lot cash ED connected earlier than 2014?
Prime Minister Modi additionally counseled the central probe company for its function in combating corruption, highlighting its elevated effectiveness since he assumed workplace in 2014. He identified that previous to 2014, the ED had solely connected property price Rs 5,000 crore. “Did anyone stop ED from taking action and who were getting benefitted? In my tenure, assets worth Rs 1 lakh crore have been attached. Is this not the money of the people of the country?” PM requested.
“In the last ten years, we have recovered Rs 2200 crore in cash, while ED before 2014, could only recover Rs 34 lakh cash which can be carried in a school bag. While 70 small trucks (chota haathi) will be needed to keep Rs 2200 crore. It means that the ED is doing a good job,” he added. Prime Minister stated that corruption has destroyed the nation and it must be tackled with full would possibly. “They (ED) have held people and seized cash as well and I am convinced that the corruption had destroyed the country. We should fight against corruption with our full strength. And this is my personal conviction,” he stated.
Opposition’s considerations over misuse of central companies
Notably, leaders of the I.N.D.I.A bloc have reiterated their considerations relating to the alleged concentrating on of opposition figures by the ruling BJP by means of what they understand because the misuse of central companies. In a letter addressed to the Election Commission of India on March 22, the I.N.D.I.A bloc asserted that the arrests of people holding constitutional positions are geared toward stifling democratic functioning inside their respective states and events.
The illustration was made following the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate in reference to the excise coverage case, which involved alleged irregularities and cash laundering in the framing and implementation of the Delhi excise coverage in 2022. Notably, the case was subsequently scrapped. Other outstanding figures, reminiscent of BRS chief Ok Kavitha and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, are additionally reportedly detained in Tihar Jail in reference to the identical case.
