India election: Modi vows to step up action against corruption in 3rd term

Unfazed by the opposition pushback, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today vowed to step up action against the corrupt in his third term.

Speaking at an election rally in Uttarakhand's Rudrapur, he said, "Don't you think the corrupt should go to jail? The corrupt are threatening and abusing me. But they can't deter me. Action against each one of them will continue."

Modi's remarks come amid the opposition onslaught against him and the BJP in the wake of the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Jharkhand's JMM leader Hemant Soren, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

"There are two sides. We are one side -- honest and transparent. On the other side, corrupt and dynastic people have gathered. They are insulting and threatening Modi. We are saying 'remove corruption'. They are saying 'save the corrupt'," he said.

"Modi is not afraid of their insults and threats. Action will continue against the corrupt. In the third term, action will be stepped up against corruption. It affects people and I wouldn't allow that. This is Modi's guarantee," the PM added.

Asking the people to further strengthen him, Modi said he guarantees making India the third biggest economy in the world in the third term.

The PM accused the main opposition Congress of provoking people and pushing the country into instability and anarchy, and urged people to punish those who want to break the country apart.

"They [Congress] are saying if the country chooses Modi government for the third term, the country will be set on fire. Do you agree with this? Will you allow this? Is this the language of democracy? Congress is now provoking people," he said.

On Sunday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, at a joint rally of the opposition alliance called against the backdrop of Kejriwal's arrest in the excise policy case in Delhi, had claimed if BJP wins the election, the country would be "on fire".