Anti-Corruption Day: Gujarat CM Calls for Integrity-Driven Gujarat, Honours ACB Heroes

Gandhinagar | Gujarat —  On the occasion of International Anti-Corruption Day, Chief Minister  Bhupendra Patel, addressing the ceremony organised by the Gujarat State Anti-Corruption Bureau, stated that the ACB operates with a commitment to supporting the poor. He emphasised the need to foster an environment where sincerity and integrity are so deeply ingrained that the observance of an Anti-Corruption Day becomes unnecessary.

In the presence of Deputy Chief Minister  Harsh Sanghavi, the Chief Minister also honoured nearly 10 ACB personnel and officers for their exemplary performance at the event held in Gandhinagar. Furthermore, four courageous citizens who raised their voices, exposed corrupt officials demanding bribes, and filed complaints that led to their arrest by the ACB were also felicitated. Additionally, certificates were presented to 12 students who emerged as winners in the essay and elocution competitions held during Vigilance Awareness Week as part of the anti-corruption social awareness campaign.

The Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the mantra of ‘Vikas bhi, Virasat bhi’. As the nation progresses, he emphasised the need to uphold the cultural value of not taking anything beyond one’s rightful due and to seek inner satisfaction through honest work. He added that the Prime Minister is committed to building a Viksit Bharat with zero tolerance for corruption, and that creating a Viksit Gujarat requires the ACB’s strict and decisive action to ensure a corruption-free state. Commending the ACB’s efforts, he said the Bureau must maintain a vigilant image that deters wrongdoing and accelerates Gujarat’s development. He highlighted karmayoga through Lord Ram’s exile and Valmiki’s transformation to underline the value of righteous conduct.

Deputy Chief Minister commended the ACB for curbing corruption, noting that Gujarat’s Anti-Corruption Bureau has taken strict action across all levels, from junior staff to senior officials, without regard to class or rank. Over the past three years, corruption cases have been filed by setting up traps against 34 Class-I and 98 Class-II officers. This year, 194 cases have been registered, and 277 accused have been arrested. Referring to the Chief Minister’s compassionate yet firm leadership and the state’s Operation Gangajal, he stated that the Chief Minister is taking decisive action guided by an aggressive, zero-tolerance policy toward corruption. The historic number of compulsory retirements stands as clear evidence of this commitment. Emphasising the importance of technology, he noted that the Anti-Corruption Bureau is a technocratic team and should further expand its use of advanced tools, including AI, to strengthen application processing and enforcement against corruption.

Chief Secretary M.K. Das stated that corruption is a global issue, not limited to India, and remains a major barrier to national development, causing significant hardship for the poor. He further added that under the leadership of Chief Minister, the state government is carrying out significant work across various sectors. The Prime Minister has emphasised that preventive vigilance is more important than unity vigilance, and the Gujarat Government has taken major steps in this regard, including simplifying rules, large-scale reforms, ease of doing business, and amendments to revenue laws.

Delivering the welcome address, ACB Director Piyush Patel said that during the last two months, the state’s Anti-Corruption Bureau organised essay competitions in various schools under Vigilance Awareness Week on topics such as corruption as an obstacle to national development, aware citizen – Viksit Bharat. Elocution competitions were also held on topics such as awareness, transparency, integrity in my view, and I am an honest officer. Programmes for oath-taking of honesty were conducted by officers and employees in government offices. Additionally, public awareness activities such as street plays, marathon runs, and extensive distribution of pamphlets of the ACB helpline 1064 were carried out.

The event was attended by Gujarat Vigilance Commissioner Shri Sangeeta Singh, DGP CID Crime and Railways Dr. K.L.N. Rao, NFSU Vice Chancellor Dr. J.M. Vyas, along with ACB officers and employees, citizens who showed alertness by filing complaints against corruption, and students.