Our dream to make Delhi first corruption free city of India: Kejriwal

New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today vowed to take all steps to make Delhi first corruption-free city in the country, saying it is his government's dream.

"It is our dream to make Delhi the first corruption free city of India. I was not born in 1947, I was a small kid in 1977, but I am present today to see a revolution. If good people with honest intentions come together then it is possible to make India corruption free," Kejriwal said, during his Republic Day address at Chhatrasal Stadium.

Arvind Kejriwal. AFP

The Chief Minister said that corruption is a major challenge for his government and claimed that it has come down after the launch of anti-corruption helpline.

"I do not say that corruption has been completely eradicated from the city in the last 20-25 days. But I have come to know that officials are now afraid of asking for bribe. The corruption has gone down by 20-30 per cent," he claimed.

"Anti-corruption officials have told me that all the traps laid by them to catch officials taking bribe red-handed are failing in the last few days. I want all the traps to fail and not a single officer should go to jail," Kejriwal said, adding the motive is to instill fear in the mind of the corrupt.

To substantiate his claim on decreasing level of corruption, Kejriwal said, "While coming here (Chhatrasal stadium) my car stopped at a traffic signal. Many people surrounded it. Many of them were auto rickshaw drivers and they told me that cops have stopped asking for money for the last 15 days."

"This is not a small thing. It is a big thing. In this 65 years many governments could not remove corruption, but if good people come together with honest intention it could be eradicated," the Delhi Chief Minister added.

Giving another example, Kejriwal said one of his friends told him that a roadside vendor in his neighbourhood has reduced the price of tea from Rs 8 to 6 as he does not have to pay bribe now.

Criticising the "corrupt" system, Kejriwal said even though the country has the best Constitution, it was never implemented in its true letter and spirit.

"I think that had the Indian Constitution was implemented in its letter and spirit for at least five days during the past so many years, then the situation of the country would not have been this worse today," he said.

Kejriwal said the government is bringing Jan Lokpal Bill and Swaraj Bill to end corruption.

PTI