No safe havens for those who betray nation: Modi

INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (20) said there should be no safe havens anywhere for those who betray the country and its people. Speaking at a joint conference of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the western Indian state of Gujarat, he said “no mercy” should be shown to people who “deceive the nation”.

“Today the nation believes regardless of how strong the people who deceive or loot it may be, no mercy is shown to them, wherever they may be. The government will not spare them,” he said.

The CVC is an apex government institution which addresses corruption in the government, the CBI is India’s premier investigative agency.

The prime minister also highlighted the work done by his government in the last seven years in tackling corruption and said it was because of the work done in this time that people are enjoying the benefits of government schemes without middlemen.

He also said deep-rooted corruption was not addressed during the time of past governments as they lacked the “political and administrative” willpower to do so.

“Today there’s a political will to come down heavily on corruption. Continuous improvements are also being made at the administrative level,” Modi said.

The prime minister also hailed what he calls a “New India”, which is increasingly relying on digital tools to tackle corruption.

“With modern thinking, India of the 21st-century stresses upon using technology for humankind’s welfare,” Modi said, adding, “New India innovates, initiates, implements. New India isn’t ready to believe that corruption is part of system. It wants transparent system, efficient process, smooth governance.”