A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) not to spare the corrupt person, former Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Tuesday claimed the conviction of the corrupt was higher during the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) rule.
In a tweet, Sibal said, “PM to CBI: Don’t spare the corrupt. March 2016: Jitendra Singh told Parliament: 2013: 1136 persons convicted for corruption, 2014: 993, 2015:878, 2016: 71. Conviction of the corrupt higher during UPA! Men may lie but facts do not lie. Who is protecting the corrupt,” asked Sibal, who was a Union minister during UPA I and II governments at the Centre.
PM Modi, speaking during the diamond jubilee celebrations of the CBI, on Monday said that the federal probe agency’s chief responsibility was to rid the country of corruption.
“Corruption is not an ordinary crime, it snatches the rights of the poor, it begets many other crimes, corruption is the biggest obstacle in the path of justice and democracy,” he said.
The PM added, “Corruption in the government system hampers democracy and the first casualty are the dreams of the youth as in such circumstances a certain type of ecosystem flourishes killing talent. Corruption promotes nepotism and a dynastic system which erodes the nation’s strength, seriously hampering development.”
Sibal also questioned PM Modi asking how many cases were taken up by Lokpal since his appointment, reported PTI.
“My dear prime minister, why did you not appoint a Lokpal for five years to combat corruption after the UPA passed the Lokpal Bill? The constant silence of the Lokpal since its appointment (in 2019) shows how serious his government is to deal with corruption. Also, please tell us how many cases the Lokpal has taken up since his appointment and what has been the outcome,” Sibal, who quit the Congress in May last year and was elected to Rajya Sabha as an independent member with the Samajwadi Party’s support, said.
The Rajya Sabha MP added, “That will show how serious the Modi government is about tackling corruption.”
Speaking at the CBI event held in Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, PM Modi said that after the BJP government came to power in 2014, the government started working against black money and benami property in mission mode. He also asserted that there is no dearth of political will to take action against corruption in the country, and asked officers to take action without hesitation against the corrupt.
“These people will keep distracting you, but you have to focus on your work. No corrupt person should be spared. There should be no laxity in our efforts. This is the wish of the country, this is the wish of the countrymen. The country, law and constitution are with you”, the PM said.