Nation Wants To Know/ Pained by The Way Sheila Dikshit Was Insulted: PM Modi to Arnab

New Delhi: In an exclusive interview with Republic Media Network’s Editor-In-Chief Arnab Goswami, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered former-Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit saying that he was pained by the way the former-chief minister was insulted and defamed during her last days. PM Modi, without taking any name, recalled the time when several accusations were made against Sheila Dikshit by the newly formed Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The AAP had also reportedly tried to file an FIR against Dikshit over alleged “misuse” of government’s funds for advertisement, alleged tanker scam and others. While explaining about his government’s stance in the fight against corruption to Arnab Goswami, the prime minister said that after witnessing serious allegations against Sheila Dikshit, he took it seriously and decided to find out the truth behind any such allegations.

PM Narendra Modi, while elaborating on how his government firmly initiated a crackdown on the corruption in the country, in the biggest trending interview of the Republic Media Network’s flagship segment ‘Nation Wants To Know’ amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections, PM Modi said that his government has no tolerance for corruption and has worked towards bringing transparency.

No one can knock on my door for compromise on corruption: PM Modi

"My government has zero tolerance towards corruption. Also, there is no question of compromise. No one can knock on my door for compromise,” said PM Modi.

Talking about his government’s emphasis on the fight against those involved in acts of corruption in the last 10 years, Prime Minister Modi stated that the debate on corruption has changed over the years. “What questions did the media ask me in 2014? You came to power in 2014 alleging corruption, so, why was no action taken? I did not want to take revenge from anyone, I did not want to harm anyone. But, I let the government free hand to verify whatever is legally there and asserted that no one should be spared, whether from my party or some other party, whether political or non-political, whether businessman or bureaucrat, whether drug-mafia or gun-mafia. So, they started their action,” the PM said.

“I had to listen to criticism. People said that it was only big talk and nothing came out. Like a lot was said about another Chief Minister. Sheila Dikshit ji was abused and defamed so much and I am personally one of those people who respect Sheila ji a lot. She was a Congress leader, but the allegations levelled against her and the way she was defamed in the last days of her life. These words did not go down well with me and hence I was serious about knowing what reality is?” Prime Minister Modi recounted.

He further added, “After coming into the government, we slowly moved forward during 2017, 18, 19. Now when Rs 1.25 lakh crore is seen attached after the action, when you see piles of cash, then how can you say that ED, CBI are doing wrong. If a policeman finds someone with a knife stained with blood, then how will you accept that the police did wrong and arrested the wrong person? The country is watching.”

Talking about his government’s commitment in the fight against corruption, the prime minister clearly said, “We can only take firm action against corruption, when we are not ourselves tainted and are not clinged ourselves to such acts. Then only, when we go to the common people with great courage, they believe that if Modi is saying then he will definitely try.”

Former Chief Minister of Delhi Sheila Dikshit

Sheila Dikshit, was the longest-serving chief minister of Delhi, as well as the longest-serving female chief minister of any Indian state. Dikshit led the Congress party to 3 consecutive electoral victories in Delhi and eventually served for a period of 15 years beginning in 1998.

During the elections of the Delhi Legislative Assembly in December 2013, Dikshit lost the polls to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), though the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) formed a minority government with outside support from the Congress, with Arvind Kejriwal as the chief minister. She briefly served as the Governor of Kerala in 2014. Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2019, she was appointed president of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee and remained in office until her death in July in the same year.

Allegations on Sheila Dikshit

After the Arvind Kejriwal-led government came to power in Delhi, it labelled several allegations against former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit alleging that she was involved in the misuse of government funds for advertisements carrying the image of former-Congress party president Sonia Gandhi during the 2008 Delhi Legislative Assembly elections. The AAP leaders had asserted that they will try to get an FIR registered against Dikshit, saying, “This was public money which cannot be used for the promotion of the party. Sheila Dikshit should be directly held responsible and the government will try to register an FIR against her.”

Not only this, the AAP government in Delhi had also accused former-DPCC president Sheila Dikshit in the alleged Rs 400-crore tanker scam that allegedly happened when she was in power in Delhi.

Following the allegations, Dikshit had responded, saying, "Why is this 'scam' coming out now? It is politically motivated." She had also elaborated the  process regarding the purchase of the tankers.

During the time, the AAP had also alleged that the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre was trying to suppress evidence of corruption against former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit under a "deal" with the Congress.

The Aam Aadmi Party government in June 2015 had set up a five-member fact-finding committee to probe alleged irregularities in hiring 385 stainless steel water tankers by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) in 2012 during the Sheila Dikshit-led Congress government.

Earlier, in 2010, Dikshit was accused of corruption regarding the 2010 Commonwealth Games. The Comptroller and Auditor General report blamed her for irregularities in imported equipment for street lighting in the city during the games. However, the then Delhi chief secretary stated that the chief minister played no part in awarding contracts for street lighting in Delhi during the Commonwealth Games.