The Supreme Court verdict on graft will give a big push for ‘Swacch Rajneethi’ (Clean politics), said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chennai on Monday. “I welcome today’s historic judgement of the Supreme Court,” he said.

A seven-judge Bench of the Supreme Court in the JMM bribery case judgment declared that privilege or immunity will not protect legislators who take bribes to vote or speak in Parliament or State Legislative Assemblies, from criminal prosecution.

“For run parties like Congress, DMK and INDI Alliance, family is everything and corruption is everything. The Supreme Court’s judgement overruled a decision granting protection to corrupt leaders of the INDI Alliance. This decision has left the corrupt INDI Alliance mourning,” Modi said while addressing a public meeting in the city. Leaders of the alliance partners, including GK Vasan of the Tamil Manilla Congress, were on the dais.

Swachhata Bharat Abhiyan

“You all know that Modi’s most favourite task is Swachhata Bharat Abhiyan (Clean Bharat Mission). I have to clean everywhere. I just need your blessings,” he said referring to the task of eradicating corruption. “The money DMK looted will be taken back and spent on the people of the state. This is Modi’s guarantee,” he said.

“Every time I come to Chennai, I feel energised by the people. It is great to be here in this city, which is full of life. Chennai is also a great hub of talent, trade and tradition.In our mission to build a developed India, the people of Chennai will play a very important role,” he said “Whenever I come to Chennai, some people get ‘stomach ache’. They get envious and get troubled seeing how BJP’s support base is increasing here,” he added.

“Modi has taken a resolution of Viksit Tamil Nadu (Developed Tamil Nadu) along with Viksit Bharat (Developed Bharat), We need to urgently make Bharat the top three economies in the world. In this, the role of Tamil Nadu, and Chennai in particular, has a major responsibility. The Centre is taking all efforts to develop cities like Chennai Viksit, he said.

“For a developed Tamil Nadu, we all need to work together on this. The path to Developed India will be strengthened only by developed Tamil Nadu,” he said.

Urban infrastructure projects

In Chennai, the Centre is spending thousands of crores to upgrade the urban infrastructure projects in areas like water, metro and airport. This has helped in Ease of Living in the city, he said. In the Chennai Port to Madurvoyal project, a large amount is being spent, he added.

Taking a dig on the DMK government, Modi said during the recent cyclone that hit the State, instead of helping the people, the State government worked to intensify the problems of the people. During the crisis, the DMK people did not ensure flood management, but were involved in media management, he said.

Central schemes

The Centre is committed to the development of Tamil Nadu, and sends money from many schemes directly to the beneficiaries here. However, the DMK is upset that it was unable to ‘loot’ money from central schemes due to the Direct Benefit Transfer nor was it able to take credit for it. “I will ensure that whatever the DMK had looted, it would be retrieved and spent for the people of Tamil Nadu. This is Modi’s Guarantee,” he said.

During Covid, the Centre ensured free ration for the poor, and free vaccines for all. Tamil Nadu has been a leading State in the MSME sector. “Our government furnished credit worth crores of rupees to the MSME sector of Tamil Nadu,” he said.

“For parties like the DMK and Congress, their motto is family first but for Modi, it is Nation First. Mera Bharat, Mera Parivaar (My Nation, My Family). They think merely about their families, but Modi keeps thinking of people and works keeping the future of Bharat in his mind,” he said.

Across the country, people are saying in one voice “I am Modi’s family,” Modi said on the opposition’s jibe of ‘no family.. “I left my house for the nation, and to serve the people. My family is this country, and the 140 countrymen. That’s why from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Kutch to Kamrup, the whole country is echoing in one voice - Main Hoon Modi Ka Parivar,” he said.

The Centre is working tirelessly towards ensuring energy security. Recently, in Kalpakkam, the country has taken a big leap towards achieving Atma Nirbhar Bharat in the energy sector with the country’s first indigenous Fast Breeder Test Reactor achieving a historic feat of commencing the core loading, he said.

Your presence in such a huge number is amazing. This scene of Chennai will spoil tonight’s sleep of those who are sitting in AC rooms in Delhi and are busy manufacturing news, he ended the speech with these remarks.

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