Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has emerged as a brand for justice and given hope and strength to the common citizen.

Addressing the diamond jubilee celebrations of the agency the prime minister said, “CBI has given hope and strength to the common citizen. People hold protests to demand CBI inquiry as CBI has emerged as a brand for truth and justice.” The CBI was established by a resolution of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India dated 1st April 1963.

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In his address, the Prime Minister said that the central agency’s scope has increased manifold but the main responsibility of the CBI is to make the country corruption free.

“India cannot move forward without professional and efficient Institutions like CBI. From bank frauds to wildlife-related frauds, the CBI’s scope of work has increased manifold but the main responsibility of the CBI is to make the country corruption free,” he said.

Training his guns at the previous governments at the Centre, the prime minister said that that corrupt practices had ruined the basis of our economy and banking system in the period before 2014.

“Ten ago, there was a competition to do more and more corruption. Big scams took place during that time but the accused were not scared because the system stood by them… After 2014, we worked on a mission mode against root causes of corruption and hoarders of black money,” he said.

“Where there is corruption, the youth do not get proper opportunities. Only a special ecosystem flourishes there. Corruption is the biggest enemy of talent and it is from here that nepotism and ‘parivarvad’ get strengthened,” he added.

The Prime Minister said that the government has ensured utmost transparency in the systems and the processes of allocation of 2G and 5G spectrum reflect the government’s commitment towards this. PM Modi said there had been times of disbelief and policy paralysis in the country but since 2014, the government’s primary goal has been to reinstate, nurture and strengthen people’s belief in the system.

The prime minister said that in the last six decades, the CBI has earned recognition as a ‘Multi-dimensional’ and ‘Multi-disciplinary’ investigation agency.

“The CBI’s scope of work today, has widened to a greater scale; from metro cities to forests, from banks to wildlife protection, CBI has been investigating almost each and every aspect. Also, even cyber crimes are being dealt with by this agency,” he said.

“I know that the people against whom you are taking action are very powerful, they have been part of the government and system for years. Even today they are in power in some states, but you (CBI) have to focus on your work, no corrupt person should be spared,” the PM added.

On the occasion, the Prime Minister conferred the President’s Police Medal to 18 officers of CBI for their distinguished Service. He also gave away Gold Medal to three officers for Best Investigating Officers. The Prime Minister also inaugurated newly constructed office complexes of CBI at Shillong, Pune and Nagpur.

PM Modi also released a Postage Stamp and Commemorative Coin marking the Diamond Jubilee Celebration year of CBI. PM Modi also launched the Twitter handle CBI.