PM vows to fight corruption, black money; Pitches for ‘Insaniyat’ in Kashmir

New Delhi: India woke up to its 72nd year of Independence Day on Wednesday with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowing to fight corruption menace and said those who are stashing black money will not be spared.

In his fifth Independence Day address to the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort, the Prime Minister also said that Delhi’s corridors and streets are now “free from power brokers”.

Those indulging in corruption and black money will not be spared, he said.

“We will not spare the corrupt and those who stashed black money. They have ruined the country,” said Mr Modi, who stormed to power in 2014, leading an aggressive anti-corruption campaign against the erstwhile Congress-led UPA dispensation.

“From the voice of power brokers, the voice of the poor is heard..... Delhi is now free from power brokers,” he said.

The Prime Minister, at the same time, said the honest taxpayer in the country has a major role in the progress of the nation.

“It is due to them that so many people are fed, the lives of the poor are transformed,” he said.

On the long-pending militancy problem in Jammu and Kashmir, the Prime Minister quoted former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and pitched for ‘insaniyat and jamoorihat’ (people-oriented approach and democracy)’.

“Hum goli aur gaali ke raaste par nahi par gale laga ke aage badhna chahte hain (We do not believe in the language of bullet and name calling. We want to move ahead with a mood of reconciliation and taking each other in arms),” Prime Minister said.

He said a decision has been taken and to empower local self governance bodies panchayat elections will be held there.

“....Kashmir mein gaon ke logon ko apna haq jatane ka avsar milega (In J&K villages, people will get opportunity to make their own choice),” Mr Modi said. (UNI)