The nascent bonding of the opposition over the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from parliament, came under an all-out attack today from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who called it a “coming together of the corrupt on one stage”. In one of his strongest speeches outside of election campaigns, PM Modi targeted the entire opposition amid an effort by 14 parties’ move to go to Supreme Court, alleging misuse of central agencies.
In the petition, the opposition parties have told the top court that agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate have only been targeting the political opponents of the BJP. The court will hear the case on April 15.
“We have a strong foundation of constitutional institutions. That’s why to stop India, constitutional institutions are being attacked,” PM Modi said at the BJP headquarters in Delhi, underscoring what the BJP flags as its battle against corruption.
“Agencies are being attacked when they take action, questions are being raised in courts. Some parties have started ‘Bhrashtachari Bachao Abhiyan’,” he said in a harsh take on the “Loktantra Bachao Mashal Shanti March” the Congress attempted today.
The Prime Minister also backed his party’s claims to curbing corruption with data.
“Under PMLA (law against money laundering) during the Congress rule, a total of 5,000 crore was confiscated. But under the BJP, we have confiscated about 10,00,000 crore. Twenty thousand economic offenders who have fled, have been caught by us,” he said.
For the “first time in seven decades,” such action is being taken against the corrupt, the Prime Minister said.
“When we will do so much, then some people will be upset and will be angry but the action against corruption won’t be stopped because of their (Opposition) false allegations,” he added.
At the beginning of the Budget session of parliament, the opposition had coalesced over the issue of leaders across political lines coming increasing under the lenses of Central investigation agencies.
The parties which have filed the case in the Supreme Court include the Congress, Trinamool Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Janata Dal-United, Bharat Rashtra Samithi, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction), National Conference, Nationalist Congress Party, the Left and the DMK.
