Opinion CBI Raids on Manish Sisodia: Modi government has no tolerance for corruption

PM Modi knows that the fight against corruption has to begin from the top.

Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia addresses a press conference in New Delhi, Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022. (PTI Photo)

Sudesh Verma

August 20, 2022 08:42 PM IST First published on: Aug 20, 2022 at 07:36 PM IST

The CBI raids on Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s residence demonstrate the determination of the investigating agencies to uncover the truth behind corruption charges and ensure the culprits are punished. Similar actions have been taken against civil servants who are allegedly involved in making money through the new liquor policy of the Delhi Government.

The entire Opposition is crying hoarse over this and terming it a political vendetta by the BJP-led Union government but they are blissfully ignoring the fact that the raids have not been sudden and anyone aware of the way the excise policy of Delhi was changed knew that something was “rotten in the State of Denmark”. After a thorough inquiry, the report by the chief secretary had clearly spoken of financial quid pro quo at the top political level. It is not without reason that Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has referred the case for a CBI inquiry.

The FIR makes it clear that media houses, consultancy firms, and individuals close to the Aam Aadmi Party were making money while giving favours to the liquor lobby. Very soon, they are likely to be caught and justice is done. Similar noises of political vendetta were made when Delhi’s health minister, Satyendra Jain, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate for money laundering. He had allegedly opened shell companies to launder money without having actual business transactions.

Also read | CBI Raids on Manish Sisodia: Central agencies aren’t fighting corruption. They are intimidating opposition, stifling dissent

Instead of commenting on the moral low reached by the AAP, which spearheaded a fight against corruption, opposition parties are trying to give it the colour of political vendetta. The AAP got good publicity in the New York Times about Delhi’s education sector, but to say that the raids are due to this publicity is childish. The NYT is the same newspaper that had demonstrated an anti-Modi bias while looking for its South Asia correspondent.

Some leaders are also saying that the rise of Arvind Kejriwal has perturbed Narendra Modi. They claim that the fight in the Lok Sabha elections of 2024 is going to be between him and PM Modi. Kejriwal knows how to garner publicity. In 2014, he had gone to Benaras to contest against Modi but he bit the dust, losing the battle by close to 3.5 lakh votes.

While one cannot oppose the political aspirations of people, the fact remains that acts of omission and commission cannot be glossed over just because you happen to be a political leader. The CBI inquiry in Sisodia’s case was already in progress since L-G Saxena had given the mandatory sanction.

The raids across the country against officials and political leaders have sent a stern message to one and all that corruption would not be tolerated. This syncs well with PM Modi’s determination to launch an all-out offensive against corruption. Modi’s declaration from the ramparts of the Red Fort that people should join hands to fight corruption and nepotism should be taken seriously by those who may have imagined that they would be able to escape the long arms of the law. He had stressed the need to penalise the corrupt.

The high and mighty will not be able to save themselves. The laws have been strengthened. Now, one cannot create assets in foreign countries with ill-gotten money and one cannot hide the money in shell companies. The money trail would establish the truth. If you keep cash like West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee, you are bound to be caught.

All those who are caught in the vortex of raids or inquiries by investigative agencies speak the same language. They try to put out a brave face till they are caught with proof. This happened with Sanjay Raut of the Shiv Sena caught in money laundering in the Patra Chawl case. A former Union minister was arrested in the INX Media scam. His son Karti Chidambaram was arrested in the same case. Both are on bail. The latter is also facing a case of taking bribes for facilitating visas for the Chinese.

The top Congress leadership is out on bail in a case of corporate fraud. Both Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul manipulated the system to gain control over National Herald and the properties that this organisation owns in various parts of the country. The Gandhis have tried to oppose government investigation by organising demonstrations on the roads.

Given that political morality is low even though people are fed up with corruption, this is the right time to put the fear of the law. Earlier, one could make money using wrong means and get away. No more. Modi cannot be manipulated or arm-twisted. He knows that the fight against corruption has to begin from the top.

The claim of political vendetta will not cut ice because the raids are scientific, based on investigations and would come out with incriminating documents that would stand in any court of law. When the political leadership is clear about the fight, the agencies know they have to act and do their job well.

The writer is a member of the BJP’s National Media Relations Department and author of Narendra Modi: The GameChanger