'I've given full freedom to agencies to take strongest action corruption': PM Modi in Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday vowed further crackdown on corruption and black money, saying the government has given "full freedom" to the probe agencies for taking strongest action against the corrupt.

The prime minister said no one will be spared in the crackdown.

He also took pot shot at the Congress for first levelling serious allegations with evidence against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and later forming an alliance with it to fight the Lok Sabha elections.

Replying to the Motion of Thanks on the President's address, Modi asserted that taking action against corruption is a mission for the NDA government and not a matter of electoral gains.

"I want to state without hesitation and also tell the countrymen that I have given full freedom to the agencies to take the strongest action against the corrupt and corruption. The government will not interfere anywhere," the prime minister said.

"Yes, they (probe agencies) should work honestly for honesty. No person embroiled in corruption will be able to escape the law. This is Modi's guarantee," the prime minister said.

Referring to the opposition members' charge that the government is misusing the probe agencies, Modi cited statements made by opposition leaders like late Mulayam Singh Yadav who had accused the UPA government of using the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against them. He also said even the Supreme Court had termed the CBI as a "caged parrot".

"Allegations have been made against the central investigative agencies. It has been said that the central government is misusing the investigative agencies.

"The AAP commits liquor scam, the AAP commits corruption, the AAP commits scam in building classrooms for children, the AAP even commits water scam… The Congress complains against the AAP. The Congress drags the AAP to court and if action is taken then they abuse Modi," the prime minister said.

Modi said the Congress had presented so many proofs of AAP's scams before the country in a press conference. The Congress should now answer whether those proofs were true or false, he said.

Now the AAP and the Congress have become partners, he said, and dared the AAP to demand an answer from the Congress.

Modi asserted that he had vowed in 2014, when the BJP came into power at the Centre, that the government will work for the welfare of the poor and also take actions against corruption and black money.

"Action against corruption is a mission for us. It is not a matter of victory or defeat in elections for us," he added.