Modi targets graft at anniversary bash
New Delhi, May 29 (DHNS) : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday declared an all-out war against corruption. Capping his government’s second anniversary, Modi said people who have eaten into the country’s wealth and poor’s share, will be held accountable.
Modi alluded to the Congress and said only beneficiaries of corruption worth Rs 36,000 crore were indulging in obstructionist politics. “In our campaign to stop corruption, we plugged leaks worth over Rs 36,000 crore. What will people affected by steps taken by the government to stop corruption do but criticise?” Modi said in his half-an-hour speech.
He flew straight from Meghalaya to wind up the event at India Gate. He cited instances of detecting 1.62 lakh crore fake ration cards and fake enrolment of teachers drawing salaries worth Rs 540 crore to impress upon the government's anti-corruption measures.
Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan featured in a segment show on women and child, focussing on Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, undeterred by Congress questioning his presence with his name figuring in Panama Paper leaks, Bollywood actor R Madhavan and Doordarshan anchor Neelam Sharma hosted the mega event – “Ek Nayi Subah (A New Beginning)” aired live by the public broadcaster from its makeshift studio at the historic India Gate.
Sporting a light saffron-coloured jacket over white kurta-pyjama, Big B interacted with girl students and obliged two of them by reading out their poem on the need to believe in themselves and rendered a couple of lines from his father Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s famous poem “Madhusala”.
To a query from a Class VII girl on how he became Big B, Bachchan squatted on the floor and said, “Big B is just a name people in the media have given me. Here, look I am smaller than you.”
He cited a Sanskrit mantra to remind the exalted position women have enjoyed in Hindu religion, with Goddess Saraswati being the symbol of knowledge, Goddess Lakshmi of wealth, while Goddess Durga and Goddess Kali represented strength and power.
Bachachan, who is also the United Nation’s ambassador for Girl Child mission, signed off by appearing on a segment themed on “Big B on Pride of Being India”. At the beginning of the NDA gala, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said a good monsoon would boost the economy and warned that black money hoarders whose names figured in the Panama Papers leaks, would be prosecuted.
"If monsoon is good this year, then the rural economy will get a boost and India's economy will benefit," Jaitley said.
Young ministers Kiren Rijiju, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and Babul Supriyo teamed up to share their views on 'New Vision, New India' and praised Modi for bringing change in different sectors. "He is the most youthful among us," said Rathore.
Doordarshan weaved Modi government’s achievements through narratives, documentaries, live interactions, flash back videos and cultural extravaganza to depict “A New Beginning” in different sectors. many Union ministers were invited to the studio to briefly speak about their flagship schemes like Jan Dhan, Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, Swachh Bharat, Khoya Paya and Indradhanush.
Social activists and Bollywood artistes like Raveena Tandon, Anil Kapoor, Vidya Balan, Kailash Kher and Indian Idol child star Nahid too shared their individual experiences and entertained the audience.
Others from the Union Cabinet participated in the media blitzkrieg which began with Modi’s rally in western UP to wind up on June 10.