Those guilty of corruption rotting in jail now: PM Narendra Modi's veiled attack on Lalu Yadav

PM Narendra Modi on Sunday said that his govt's fight against corruption will continue and no one guilty of graft would be spared.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday made a veiled attack at former Bihar chief minister and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and said that anyone guilty of indulging in corruption will not be spared.

PM Modi, while reiterating that today the rich and powerful are no longer above the law, asserted that his government's crusade against corruption will go on and those guilty of graft will not be spared at any cost.

PM Modi made these remarks while addressing a rally of the National Cadets Corps (NCC) rally in the national capital. Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister urged the youth to join him in the fight against corruption and black money. 

PM Modi said that earlier people used to believe that the rich and powerful were not affected by anti-corruption drives and asserted that it was no longer true.

Getting rid of this "termite" of corruption would help the poor the most, he told the cadets.

"Sometimes, there was a sense of disappointment that there is big talk about (combating) corruption but the big and mighty go scot-free. Today, you are going through a phase when three former chief ministers are rotting in jail," he said.

Former Bihar chief ministers Lalu Prasad and Jagannath Mishra were recently convicted and sentenced in a fodder scam case. Former Haryana Chief Minister OP Chautala is also in jail in connection with a corruption case.

"Who says there is no God? Who says there is no justice at the hands of God? Now no one is going to escape," PM Modi said.

Modi said the youth of India did not accept corruption but the fight against graft and black money would be a long one.

"Will merely expressing anger and hatred (towards corruption) work? ...We have to wage a long battle. The fight is not going to stop. This fight against corruption and black money is to make the future of youngsters. And if this makes the future of my youngsters then this also makes the future of my country," he said.

He sought the help of NCC cadets and other youngsters in promoting digital transaction, saying it would curb graft.

Modi also made a strong pitch for the use of Aadhaar, saying it had helped save Rs 60,000 crore as money earlier went into the "wrong hands".

"These days you keep hearing about Aadhaar. I want to say Aadhaar has added great strength to India's development. What would earlier get into wrong hands is now going to the intended beneficiaries," he said.

RJD chief Lalu is currently in jail after being convicted in two fodder scam cases back to back in the recent past. 

The veteran Bihar politician is currently lodged in Birsa Munda jail in Ranchi, where he is serving a three-and-half-year sentence in the second fodder scam case related to illegal withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from Deogarh treasury.

Corruption in the Yadav clan was ostensibly the reason behind Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's decision to break away from the Grand Alliance comprising the JD(U), RJD and the Congress last year.

(With PTI inputs)