If you thought the current drive by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into huge-scale money laundering and scams is limited to what we are seeing in Maharashtra and West Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has just signalled a mega battle on this front in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls in 2024.
Fighting this menace will be the main plank for Modi along with the focus on ushering in development and lifting more people out of poverty.
Unfazed by what the opposition would want us to believe as actions born out of “political vendetta,’ Modi declared from the ramparts of the Red For, that he won’t relent in his efforts to overcome two big challenges – corruption and ‘parivarvaad‘ (nepotism).
The PM appealed to the citizens for their support in the fight against corruption and also end the tendency of some political patrons to glorify those accused of corruption as if they were icons. “Corruption is eating away at the foundation of India. Corruption is hollowing out the country like a termite and we will have to fight it. Those who looted India in the past are paying for their sins now. We are confiscating their ill-gotten gain. In India, where people are fighting poverty, we need to fight against corruption with all our might.”
Modi lamented that “the shadow of parivarvaad lies on several institutions. Our many institutions are affected by the family rule, it harms our talent, and nation’s capabilities and gives rise to corruption… We have to develop an intolerance for this to save institutions. The welfare of the family has nothing to do with the welfare of the nation. Let’s cleanse India’s politics and institutions from the shackles of parivaarwad. We need to discourage this in all institutions, including sports. We need to start a revolution against it. This is our social responsibility. We need transparency.”
Hitherto, Modi has only spoken against the dynastic politics in major parties like the Congress, Trinamool Congress, Nationalist Congress, Telangana Rashtra Samithi and the DMK. But today, he extended the definition to all organisations that were reeling under nepotism and lack of talent on that account.
Modi made it clear that his concern over ‘parivaarvaad’ (nepotism) was not limited to dynastic politics but to every field where some people got away with mediocrity at the cost of talented people. “There are some people who are concerned about protecting their ill-gotten wealth. When I speak of nepotism, I don’t just speak of politics. The tendency of politics has seeped into every institution and sector of society. This directly affects talent in our country. We must create awareness against such nepotism in every institution,” he said in an 83-minute-long speech to mark the 75th anniversary of Independence.
Dynastic politics is only for the benefit of the dynasty, not the country and, “therefore, we must rid the country of nepotistic thinking and push it towards a merit-based society,” Modi said. The PM said his constitutional duty is to fight nepotism. “We saw in the recently concluded sports events we did well. It’s not that we didn’t have talent earlier, but transparent selection (of athletes and players) bereft of nepotism has led to Indian scoring medals.”
Modi’s no-holds-barred attack on corruption comes in the backdrop of the Central agencies’ drive against money laundering involving the leaders of the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, and the National Herald case involving Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
As Modi put it, “In India, where people are fighting poverty, we need to fight against corruption with all our might. Corruption and nepotism might come in the way of what the country should achieve in the next 25 years. In the last 8 years through Direct Benefit Transfers, we have prevented nearly ₹2 lakh crores that used to fall into the wrong hands. We are trying to create a situation where what has been looted by the corrupt is returned to the country. We are entering a decisive phase of the war against corruption. I will fight against it. I need the country’s blessings and cooperation of the 130 crore Indians to win this war.”
Outlining why the current war on money laundering and big-ticket sleaze is on the top of his agenda, the PM minced no words in flaying efforts by some political leaders to venerate those who are close to them and are accused of corruption despite mounting evidence. Only a day ago, Mamata had come out in support of her party colleague Anubrata Mondal who was arrested for cattle smuggling.
Modi said, “The situation is such that some people, despite being in jail, convicted of corruption, are still socially accepted and extolled. Until that social acceptance is not removed, then corruption will not fully go away.”
Dwelling on other aspects of his governance agenda, Modi summed up the road ahead for the next 25 years involving firm resolve and a pledge for a developed India through ‘Panchpran.’
“First Pran – a goal of developed India. Second pran – remove any trace of colonial mindset. The third pran- take pride in our roots. Fourth pran – unity. Fifth pran – a sense of duty among the citizens,” he declared.
Modi emphasised that we need to move forward with bigger resolutions for a developed India while doing away with all traces of servitude. One will have to be proud of the common Indian legacy too. At the same time, we have to work together on the basis of the strength of unity. Fifthly, we must remember our duties as citizens. The citizens mean everyone including the Prime Minister and the Chief Ministers too.
Modi also talked about the forgotten heroes of the country and the importance of “Naari Shakti” while calling upon all of us to uphold the dignity of women in all walks of life. He also added ‘Jai Anusandhan’ to the slogan – ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyaan’ to take India to new heights with the power of innovation.
For the first time, as indigenously made howitzer guns were used in the ceremonial 21-gun salute, Modi pointed out that the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) developed by the defence research organisation (DRDO) is the flagship product of the Make-in-India campaign. Modi ditched the teleprompter and instead referred to his paper notes while delivering his ninth speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort.
(The author is a senior journalist and a well-known political commentator)