CBI now a brand of justice: PM Modi at agency's diamond jubilee

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the CBI has emerged as a brand of justice and it has given hope and strength to the common citizen.

Speaking at the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of CBI, Modi said, "India cannot move forward without professional and efficient Institutions like CBI. From bank frauds to wildlife-related frauds, the CBI's scope of work has increased manifold but the main responsibility of the CBI is to make the country corruption-free."

"In the last six decades, the CBI has earned the recognition as a 'multi-dimensional' and 'multi-disciplinary' investigation agency," he said.

Stating that corruption is the biggest roadblock to democracy and justice, the Prime Minister targeted the Opposition over the 2G scam. "There had been times of disbelief and policy paralysis in the nation. But since 2014, our primary goal has been to reinstate, nurture and strengthen people's belief in the system," he said.

The Prime Minister further asked the CBI officials to continue to work towards ending corruption as they have the full support of the government. "We will fight the whole ecosystem of corruption," he said. The desire of the country and its citizens, he added, is that no corrupt person should be spared.

PM Modi told CBI oficials that there will be attacks on the central agency but they should remember that India has given them the mandate to fight corruption. "There will be attacks on you, there will be attacks on us... but let us continue the fight against corruption."

"Corruption is not just a small crime. It snatches the rights of the poor and that lead to the birth of many criminals," Modi said.

The government, he said, had started action against black money and benami property on mission mode. "Besides the corrupt, we are fighting causes of corruption," he said.

Building a developed India is not possible without professional and efficient institutions and the CBI therefore has a huge responsibility, Modi said.

Even today, when a case remains unsolved, there are demands it should be handed over to the CBI, the prime minister said.

The CBI has given faith to people through its work and techniques, he said. Wherever there is corruption, youth don't get equal opportunities and just one special eco-system gets emboldened, he stated.

Terming corruption the biggest enemy of merit, Modi said it encourages nepotism and dynastic rule. When these two increase, the country's strength gets affected, and when strength is weakened, it impacts development, he said.

For decades, the prime minister added, the corrupt have created ways to loot the country's riches, and this was done by robbing government wealth.

Today, through 'Jandhan' bank accounts, which link Aaadhar cards and mobile phones, beneficiaries get their full rights, he said.

(With inputs from PTI)