‘The corrupt will spend lifetimes in jail once new government is formed on June 4’, says PM Modi

Aditi Tandon

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New Delhi, May 19

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday issued an open dare saying he would ensure every corrupt leader spent a lifetime in jail once his new government took shape post the declaration of Lok Sabha election results on June 4.

Addressing a poll gathering in West Bengal’s Purulia, a day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee named a few monks of the Bharat Sevashram Sangha and Ramakrishna Mission for ‘openly aiding the BJP over the TMC’ in elections, Modi also said a party that disregarded Indian civilization by openly insulting monks who were bringing glory to India “didn’t deserve even a single vote from the people.”

PM’s Purulia address however stood out for his sharpest remarks on corruption in the 2024 poll cycle so far.

Speaking of “mountains of illegal cash recovered from the homes of some opposition party leaders including the Congress, JMM and TMC, Modi said, “On June 4, after the installation of the new government, the life of every corrupt leader will be spent in jail. And the money of loot will be returned to those who are its original payees.”

Modi said he was already trying to devise ways and means to see how the money paid in bribes and looted by the corrupt can be returned where it belongs.

“Modi is not recovering this money to fill the national treasury. It is Modi’s guarantee to find who paid this money and return it to them. This money belongs to innocent Dalits, tribals, backwards,” PM said in Bengal’s Purulia and again in Jharkhand’s Jamshedpur where he held rallies.

In Bengal, he said trends indicated TMC was losing which was why Manata Banerjee was openly “intimidating people.”

Questioning the CM for publicly naming Ramakrishna Mission and Bharat Sevashram Sangha leaders at a rally in Bengal on Saturday, the PM said, “The TMC has crossed all limits to appease its vote bank. ISKCON, Ramakrishna Mission which Swami Vivekanand founded and Bharat Sevashram Sangha are known the world over for their services. They add to national glory.

But Bengal CM is openly threatening them to please her vote bank. The country won’t tolerate this insult of spiritual leaders. People should use their vote to punish such a government.”

He also mentioned the Sandeshkhali matter to accuse the TMC of siding with Shahjahan Sheikh, the alleged perpetrator of sexual assault on women of the area and said, “Every daughter of Bengal will destroy the TMC with her vote.”

Modi earlier also alleged that the “INDI bloc partners TMC, Congress, JMM and RJD” would snatch reservations of SCs, STs and OBCs.

He said in this election he had exposed INDIA bloc’s real face before the people. “These people want to destroy the Constitution, encourage infiltrators, and oppose CAA to appease their vote banks,” he said.