NEW DELHI: Projecting himself as an anti-corruption crusader, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said he had brought those indulging in corruption to the jail and indicated that they would be jailed after 2019 elections.

“Those who looted the country will have to pay price for it,” he said, pointing at politicians and economic offenders but did not name any.

Addressing the gathering at ‘Main Bhi Chowkidar’ programme here, he said “I have been collecting and compiling documents since 2014. Things are going in the right directions.”

“Someone is on bail while someone is getting (hearing) date (from court). People are making rounds of (courts). I have managed to take these people to the doors of the jail.”

After 2019 elections, he indicated, they would be jailed.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi are on bail in National Herald Case while his brother-in-law Robert Vadra has secured interim bail in a money laundering case. 

He said old officials were getting retired and new ones were joining his government, thus facilitating his work.

In a reference to fugitive economic offenders such as Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi, he said “They are fleeing (the country) because they are scared.”

Modi also took a dig at the offenders for calling Indian jails unlivable saying “Should we give them palace? I cannot give better jails than the ones in which British kept (Mahatma) Gandhi ji”.

He said the government had made laws so the money looted was to be returned. 

“The corruption was of Rs 9,000 crore. Now, Rs 14,000 crore are with the government. Let there (offenders’) property be in any corner of the world, it will be seized. And they will have to surrender before the Indian law,” he said.

Giving respect to the honest people had never been the tradition of the country but now they have been rewarded and encouraged, said Modi, adding those who do wrong will not let go unpunished. 

For the first time, taxpayers in the country were thanked in Parliament by his government, he said.

Reacting to question from a party worker that why Congress was afraid of word ‘Chowkidar’, he said “If a strong policeman comes to your area, people like it. But those indulging in illegal activities do not like it.”IANS