Govt to expedite campaign to rid country of the corrupt: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Tuesday his government will speed up the campaign to rid the country of the corrupt, claiming that only such people had a problem with him while the honest trusted the 'chowkidar'.

Modi sought people's support in the campaign while addressing a gathering here at the "Swachh Shakti 2019", an event to recognise the leadership role played by rural women in the Swachh Bharat Mission towards achieving a clean and open defecation free country by October 2 this year.

"In 2014, you gave your votes for an honest and transparent government. Middlemen and those who snatched the rights of the poor have been thrown out of all the systems," he said.

"Every honest person in the country trusts this 'chowkidar' (watchman) but those who are corrupt, have a problem with Modi," he said.

Modi said some people in Haryana are worried over the ongoing investigations by probe agencies against them.

"Even in Haryana, you are witnessing how some people are worried because of probe by investigating agencies," he said without naming anyone.

There are investigations against former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Congress president Rahul Gandhi's brother-in-law Robert Vadra for alleged irregularities in land deals in the state.

The Prime Minister also mocked the opposition's proposed grand alliance as "maha-milawat", saying all the faces in this are indulging in threatening and abusing Modi.

"All the faces of this 'maha-milawat' are indulging in competition of threatening and abusing investigating agencies, court and Modi," he said.

"But you rest assured, this 'chowkidar' will neither be threatened or browbeaten with their threats and abuses, will neither stop nor bow down. Our 'safai' campaign to rid this country of the corrupt and the dirt is going to be further accelerated. For this campaign, your blessings should continue,"he said.

PM Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for six development projects, including the National Cancer Institute, Jhajjar and Shri Krishna Ayush University, Kurukshetra in Haryana Tuesday.

The 'Swachh Shakti 2019' event partaken by Modi was attended by woman sarpanchs and women associated with the 'Swachhta' campaign from across the country.