‘Modi government’s intention cannot be questioned’

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said procedural reforms were not enough to root out corruption, but people also have to change their habits to eliminate the menace.

Releasing a book titled On the Trail of the Black, the Minister said the intention of the Narendra Modi government on corruption cannot be questioned and that the Prime Minister was trying hard to root it out from the country. The Prime Minister’s decision at the first Cabinet meeting to form an SIT to bring back black money, as ordered by the Supreme Court, showed his intent to end corruption, he said.

“In our personal interactions, the Prime Minister always emphasises that till corruption is not eliminated, how can we fight poverty and other issues,” Mr. Singh said.

Multiple initiatives

“It is true that till corruption is present, it is not possible to achieve the development target we have set. And we need to accept this reality that when income disparity increases so does social unrest, which is a matter of concern for all of us.”

The Modi government was fighting corruption through the Benami Property Act and the Centre had also saved ₹65,000 crore by introducing DBT. E-tendering and e-procurement were also implemented, he said. “But I do not believe that by only reforming or changing procedures corruption can be stopped. Besides procedural reforms, tendency needs to be changed.”

The change in mindsets could be brought through education, Mr. Singh said. The Home Minister urged NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant and others present, to work to bring changes in people’s habits.

He said that though moral education was being taught at some institutes, he felt that it had not brought much change in a person’s character and morals.