Asserting that delay or weak action encourages unethical people, President Droupadi Murmu on Friday said prompt legal action against corrupt is extremely important.

Addressing the vigilance awareness week function of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), she said properties worth over USD 12 billion have been seized in the last ten years under the Prevention of Money laundering Act (PMLA).

President Murmu said trust is the foundation of social life and the source of unity. "Public trust in the government's work and welfare schemes is the source of power for governance. Corruption is not only an obstacle to economic progress, it also reduces trust in society. It adversely affects the feelings of fraternity among people. It also has a widespread impact on the country's unity and integrity," the president said.

She said every year on Sardar Patel's birth anniversary on October 31, "we take a pledge to keep the country's unity and integrity intact".

"This is not just a ritual. It is a pledge to be taken seriously. We all have a collective responsibility to fulfill it," the president said.

Murmu said prompt legal action against the corrupt is extremely important.  "Delay in action or weak action encourages unethical persons. But it is also necessary that every action and person should not be viewed with suspicion. We should avoid this. Keeping in mind the dignity of the person, no action should be motivated by malice. The objective of any action should be to establish justice and equality in the society," she said.

President Murmu said a comprehensive approach will have to be adopted to eradicate corruption. "We will have to go to the root of this disease. It will not be effective to cure it only through symptoms.The eternal values of the Indian society like integrity, ethics, compassion and transparency have to be strengthened. There is a need for strengthening of these life values," she said.

Citing Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and e-tendering, she said the Centre has taken several measures to check corruption.

President Murmu said if any work is done with the right spirit and determination, success is certain.

"Some people considered uncleanliness to be the destiny of our country. But strong leadership, political will and contribution of citizens have brought good results in the field of cleanliness. Similarly, to consider the elimination of corruption as impossible is a pessimistic attitude of some people, which is not right," the president said.

She expressed confidence that the government of India's policy of 'zero tolerance against corruption' will eradicate the roots of this malice.

President Murmu said that morality is the ideal of Indian society. "When some people start considering accumulation of things, money or property the standard of a good life, then they deviate from this ideal and resort to corrupt activities. Happiness lies in living life with self-respect by fulfilling the basic needs," she said.

The president said in "our society, integrity and discipline are considered the ideals of life".  About 2,300 years ago, Megasthenes (ancient Greek historian) wrote about Indian people that they dislike indiscipline and follow the law, she said.

"There is simplicity and austerity in their lives. Similar mentions have been made by Fa-Hien about our ancestors. In this context, this year's theme of CVC 'Culture of Integrity for Nation's Prosperity' is very apt," President Murmu said.

Probity watchdog CVC observed the vigilance awareness week from October 28 to November three, this year.  Along with the vigilance awareness week, the commission organises a three-month campaign on preventive vigilance which has been undertaken by the ministries, departments, organisations of the Central government from August 16 and will continue till November 15.

The five focus areas of the campaign are capacity building, identification and implementation of systemic improvement, up-dation of circulars, guidelines,

manuals, disposal of complaints received before June 30, 2024 and dynamic digital presence.

Central Vigilance Commissioner Praveen Kumar Srivastava and Vigilance Commissioner A S Rajeev, among others, were present at the event.