‘Befitting reply to those spreading negativity in nation’: PM Modi on No-Confidence Motion

#WATCH | PM Modi addressing BJP’s Kshetriya Panchayati Raj Parishad in West Bengal, via video conferencing

“We defeated the opposition’s no-confidence motion in Parliament and gave a befitting reply to those spreading negativity in the entire nation. The members of the… pic.twitter.com/tZSgBjehkH

— ANI (@ANI) August 12, 2023

The INDIA bloc’s no-confidence motion was defeated in the Lok Sabha on Thursday following a walkout by the Opposition parties during PM Modi’s speech. In his speech, PM Modi vowed to bring peace to Manipur at the earliest.

Addressing BJP workers in Kolkata, PM Modi said the Opposition did not actually want to discuss the Manipur issue in Parliament, “they just wanted to do politics over it”.

PM Modi addresses G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group meet

Earlier today, PM Modi said corruption “diminishes people’s quality of life” and that fighting it was “our sacred duty towards our people”.

Speaking via video-conferencing at the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group’s third and final meeting being held in Kolkata, Modi said India has a “strict policy of zero tolerance against corruption”. “We are leveraging technology and e-governance to create a transparent and accountable ecosystem,” he added.

“Leakages and gaps in welfare schemes and government projects are being plugged. Hundreds of millions of people in India have received direct benefit transfers into their bank accounts,” Modi said. “Our Government e-Marketplace, or GeM portal, has brought greater transparency in government procurement. We enacted Economic Offenders Act in 2018. Since then, we have recovered assets worth over 1.8 billion dollars from economic offenders and fugitives. Under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, our government has attached the assets (of offenders) worth more than 12 billion dollars since 2014,” he added.

#WATCH | “India has a strict policy of zero-tolerance against corruption,” says PM Modi in a video message at G20 Anti-Corruption Ministerial Meeting in Kolkata. pic.twitter.com/A1uOGZanXf

— ANI (@ANI) August 12, 2023

“The issue of fugitive economic offenders is a challenge for all G20 countries, and for the global South,” Modi said.

Invoking Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, Modi said his writings “caution against greed, as it prevents us from realising the truth”. He added that the Upanishads also warned against greed.

Modi went on to quote from Kautilya’s Arthashastra, and said that it was the “government’s duty to enhance the state’s resources to maximise the welfare of the people”. “Attaining this goal requires combating corruption and that is why fighting corruption is our sacred duty to our people,” the prime minister added.

During his speech, he also said the impact of corruption is felt most strongly by the poor and marginalised sections of society. He said that corruption “effects resource utilisation, distorts markets, impacts service delivery, and ultimately diminishes people’s quality of life.”

Highlighting other ways in which his government is acting against corruption, Modi said, “We have also simplified various procedures for businesses. Automation and digitisation of government services have eliminated rent-seeking opportunities.”

Modi also talked about corruption prevailing across borders. “When crossing borders, timely asset tracing, and identification of proceeds of crime is equally important. We also need to encourage countries to enhance their domestic asset recovery mechanism,” he said.

“To expedite the recovery of foreign assets, G20 countries can set an example by using non-conviction-based confiscation. This will ensure swift return and extradition of criminals after due judicial process, and it will send a strong signal about our joint fight against corruption,” he added. “Our collective efforts can significantly support the fight against corruption,” Modi said.

“I am glad that an understanding has been reached on informal cooperation between the law enforcement agencies as it will prevent criminals from exploiting legal loopholes,” Modi further said.