PM Modi Says He Won't Be Deterred By Corrupt People, Dynasts Forming Big Alliance; Vows To Rid Country Of Corruption, Nepotism

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (22 April) vowed to continue his fight against corruption and nepotism, regardless of how large an alliance his opponents create against him.

During a Republic TV programme, PM Modi stated that despite the efforts of those who seek to disrupt the government's honest system developed over nine years, they will fail in their attempts, as their fight is not with him but with the common citizens.

His statement comes amid renewed push by the Opposition to unite against ruling BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The Congress and other regional parties have accused government of misusing probe agencies to target their leaders.

PM Modi said that some mediapersons are angry with him and are creating ruckus because he has stopped their sources of black income.

Furhter, he said that his government's use of technology has weeded out leakage in government schemes and other expenditures to the tunes of tens of thousands of crores of rupees.

Noting that his government's use of JAM (Jan Dhan bank accounts, Aadhaar and mobile phones) axed 10 crore fake beneficiaries of various welfare schemes, PM Modi accused the previous Congress government of sending money to people who did not exist and whose number was bigger than the combined population of Delhi, Punjab and Haryana.

He said that under his government, there are no half measures and isolated approach in the fight against corruption, and asserted that an integrated and institutionalised mechanism is in place.

"However big an alliance they make, let all corrupt people, all 'parivarvadi' come on a dais, Modi is not going to turn back from his path. I have pledged to rid the country of corruption and nepotism and this will continue. I seek your blessings," PM Modi said.