Those who robbed country will have to return every single penny: PM Modi

In a strong message to those who are absconding after looting the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that he would ensure that they return every penny to the country.

"Those who have robbed the country will have to return every single penny. Since 2014, I have been doing all things to ensure absconders face the law of the land," he said.

"They are being sent to jails. Some are out on bail and asking for some dates. They are absconding due to fear," said Prime Minister Modi while speaking at "Main Bhi Chowkidar" programme here.

"Because of our laws, they are returning the money. They did corruption of Rs 9,000 crore and now Rs 14,000 is in the government's custody. Their properties--wherever in the world--will be seized," he said.

The Prime Minister said: "Some people say in foreign courts that the condition in India's prisons is not good. I cannot give a good prison to the prisoners better than where the Britishers had kept Gandhi ji." "Our principle has been to reward honesty. From the very first day, we ensured that honest taxpayers do not face any difficulty. I promise to the countrymen that those involved in scams will be punished," he said.

Highlighting the success of his government, Prime Minister Modi said that India is now the sixth largest economy in the world.

"We have created an atmosphere in the country where we have to match the world. We have spent a lot of time doing India-Pakistan. Pakistan will die of its own death. Leave them. We have to move forward. We have to compete with prosperous nations," he said.

Talking about India's war against terrorism, Prime Minister Modi said if Pakistan accepts India's airstrike in Balakot, it will put Islamabad in a dilemma as this admission will be the confirmation of the presence of terrorist camps across the border.

"Pakistan is in big trouble. If they say something happened in Balakot, it would mean that they accept that terrorist camps were being operated from there. They keep telling the world that there is nothing there. We attacked at such a place that they cannot hide," he said.

"We have been suffering from terrorism for the past 40 years. They came and carried out killings in Mumbai and Uri. We know who is responsible for this. I thought that how long all this will go? Then, I decided--Yeh Jahan Se Control Hota Hai, Khel Wahin Khela Jaayega," he sai in response to a question about air strike at terror camps in Pakistan's Balakot by the Indian Air Force (IAF) on February 26.

The Prime Minister said: "After one and a half months, they did not allow anyone to go there. Some people tell us they are reconstructing that area. They (Pakistan) are saying that there is a school functioning from there so that they can tell the world that terrorist camps never existed there."

"But the attack was targeted at such a place which proves that terrorist camps used to operate from there. Pakistan does not have a problem with how many were killed but with the stamp which said that terrorist camps used to be there," he said.

Praising Indian armed forces, Prime Minister Modi said: "I have not done Balakot strikes but or jawans did this. We salute them. I was able to take that decision because I have complete trust in our armed forces. I have trust in their ability and discipline and I know what they can achieve.