'Corrupts coming together on one stage': PM Modi targets opposition unity over Rahul Gandhi's disqualification

In one of his strongest speeches outside of election campaigns, while inaugurating BJP central office, PM Modi targeted the entire opposition in the wake of an effort by 14 parties' move to go to the Supreme Court, alleging misuse of central agencies.

In a petition, the opposition parties have told the top court that agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) have only been targeting the political opponents of the BJP.

The court will hear the case on April 15.

Targeting the opposition over this, PM Modi said: "All those faces indulged in corruption are coming together on one stage. The country is watching how the previous governments have misused the powers of probe agencies."

"Our constitutional institutions are our foundation, and therefore our very foundation is being targeted and defamed to stop the development of India."

"Conspiracies are being hatched to end the credibility of our institutions," the PM said.

He said agencies are being attacked when they take action and questions are being raised in courts.

"In the last 9 years, the BJP ran a campaign against corruption, which has rattled the corrupt and corruption. Whenever BJP comes to power, it causes a big blow to corruption," PM Modi said.

"Some parties have started 'Bhrashtachari Bachao Abhiyan'," he said in a sharp dig at the Congress's 'Loktantra Bachao Mashal Shanti March'.

The Prime Minister also supported his party's claims of curbing corruption by providing data for the same.

"Under PMLA (law against money laundering) during the Congress rule, a total of 5,000 crores was confiscated. But under the BJP, we have confiscated about 10,00,000 crores. Twenty thousand economic offenders who have fled, have been caught by us," he said.

For the "first time in seven decades," such action is being taken against the corrupt, the Prime Minister claimed.

"When we will do so much, then some people will be upset and will be angry but the action against corruption won't be stopped because of their (Opposition) false allegations," he added.