PM declares all out war on corruption

Big B features in segment on women, child

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday declared an all out war against corruption and said people who have eaten into the country’s wealth and poor’s share will be held accountable.

Capping his government’s second anniversary, Modi said only beneficiaries of Rs 36,000 crore -worth graft, happening through leakages in various schemes which has been checked during his regime, are indulging in obstructionist politics, alluding to the Congress.

“In our campaign to stop corruption, we saved over Rs 36,000 crore leakages. What will people who got affected due to the steps taken by the government to stop corruption do if not criticise?”  Modi said in his half-an-hour speech.

Modi flew down straight from Meghalaya to wind up the event held at India Gate. He cited instances of detecting 1.62 lakh-crore fake ration cards, fake enrolment of teachers drawing salary worth Rs 540 crore to impress upon government’s anti-corruption measures. 

Undeterred by the Congress questioning Bollywood veteran icon’s presence at the anniversary celebration at India Gate, due to his name figuring in Panama paper leaks, Amitabh Bachchan featured in a segment show on women and child, focussing on “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao.”

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, obliged two among 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”. 

Bachchan, who is also the United Nation’s ambassador for Girl Child mission, signed off his presence at the anniversary celebration by appearing on a segment themed on “Big B on Pride of Being India”.