NEW DELHI, Nov 8: President Droupadi Murmu emphasized the importance of prompt legal action against corruption, stating that delays or weak responses encourage unethical behavior. Speaking at the Vigilance Awareness Week function organized by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), she highlighted that public trust is crucial for governance and unity in society.
“Trust is the foundation of social life and the source of unity. Public trust in government welfare schemes is the power that drives governance,” President Murmu said. She added that corruption not only hinders economic growth but also erodes societal trust, diminishing feelings of fraternity and negatively impacting the country’s unity and integrity.
She urged for immediate legal action against corrupt individuals, stressing that delayed or insufficient actions encourage unethical behavior. However, the President also called for fairness, cautioning against viewing every action or person with suspicion. “The objective of any action must be justice and equality, without malice or prejudice,” Murmu stated.
The President lauded the government’s initiatives like Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and e-tendering to curb corruption. She also noted that over USD 12 billion worth of assets had been seized under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) over the past decade.
Murmu expressed confidence that the Government of India’s “zero tolerance against corruption” policy would root out corruption from its foundation.
The CVC’s Vigilance Awareness Week, held annually, ran from October 28 to November 3 this year under the theme, “Culture of Integrity for Nation’s Prosperity.” Alongside the awareness week, the commission is conducting a three-month campaign on preventive vigilance, which will continue until November 15, focusing on areas such as capacity building, systemic improvements, and the disposal of complaints received before June 30, 2024.
Central Vigilance Commissioner Praveen Kumar Srivastava and Vigilance Commissioner A.S. Rajeev also attended the event.
