‘Have given central agencies free hand in investigating corruption,’ says PM Modi countering Opposition in Rajya Sabha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 3 asserted that his government has given a free hand to central probe agencies in investigating corruption. Weeding out corruption, the PM said, was his mission and conviction.

"I have given a free hand to central agencies to go after the corrupt. The centre will not intervene if they work with honesty and for honesty. Nobody will be spared, this is Modi's guarantee," PM Modi said while speaking during the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

The Prime Minister's remarks were in response to Opposition's charge of misusing central agencies by his government in recent times. Many opposition leaders, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren were arrested in alleged money-laundering cases.

The Opposition has often raised questions over what it calls ‘deliberate’ targeting of its leaders through probes by the ED, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the Income-Tax department. 

The Prime Minister listed incidents before 2014 when many leaders, now in the opposition camp, had accused Congress-led UPA governments of abusing investigation agencies. He recalled how former UP chief minister late Mulayam Singh Yadav had once blamed the Congress government at the centre for misusing central investigating agencies. The PM also cited the 2013 Supreme Court verdict calling Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) a caged parrot.

The PM's address was marred by disruptions by members of opposition parties led by Congress president Malikarjun Kharge in the Rajya Sabha. The protesting MPs raised slogans asking that the Leader of Opposition be allowed to speak in the upper house of the Parliament.

The protesting Congress-led INDIA bloc MPs of Rajya Sabha staged walkout in protest. The PM interrupted during his speech and condemned the act by opposition members. He accused them of escaping from the truth.