Graft weakens nation like termite, must rid nation of it: PM

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said corruption hollows the country "like a termite" and all have to work together to rid the nation of it as soon as possible.

In his Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast, Modi also said India is fighting the new wave of Covid-19 with "great success" and asserted that the people's trust on indigenous vaccines was "our strength". He said more than one crore children have sent him "their Mann Ki Baat" via postcards which have come from many parts of the country and even from abroad.

These postcards give a glimpse of the broad and comprehensive outlook of the new generation for the country's future, Modi said. He talked about a postcard from a girl in Assam who expressed her wish to see India in the 100th year of independence as the cleanest country in the world, completely free of terrorism, among the 100 per cent literate countries, with zero accidents and capable of ensuring food security with sustainable technology.

"What our daughters think, the dreams they see for the country, do come true," the prime minister said. When everyone will together make an effort and the young generation will work towards this goal, "you will definitely make India the way you want her to be", he said addressing the girl.

Speaking about a girl from Uttar Pradesh who wished to see India free of corruption by 2047, Modi said, "You have talked about corruption-free India. Corruption hollows the country like a termite. "Why wait for 2047 to get rid of it? This is a work all the people of the country, today's youth, have to do together, it has to be done as soon as possible." "And, therefore, it becomes very important that we give priority to our duties. Where there is a sense of duty, where the duty is paramount, corruption cannot exist," he said.

Referring to another postcard from a child who wanted India to have its own research base on the moon and start the work of settling human population on Mars, Modi said nothing is impossible for a country that has youths like the boy who had written to him. In his radio broadcast, the Prime Minister also talked about the merging of the 'Amar Jawan Jyoti' near India Gate and the flame at the nearby National War Memorial. "There were tears in the eyes of many countrymen and martyrs' families on this emotional occasion," Modi said.