Everyone should be prepared to blow the whistle fearlessly against corruption, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said on Monday (September 28, 2026), asserting that government services were a right of citizens and that people should not have to pay bribes to access them.

He was speaking after inaugurating the Kozhikode range-level launch of ‘Project Zero’, a Vigilance Commando programme aimed at involving young people in the fight against corruption, at the JDT Islam campus at Vellimadukunnu.

Mr. Chennithala said eliminating corruption from society was the government’s objective and that Project Zero was a firm step towards creating a corruption-free and transparent Keralam. The government would adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption, he added.

Mr. Chennithala also distributed campaign badges, released a video associated with the programme and administered an anti-corruption pledge to the gathering. K. Jayanth, MLA, presided over the function. District Collector M.S. Madhavikutty delivered the keynote address. Poet and writer Soman Kadaloor and actor Neeraj Madhav were the chief guests.

Director of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) Manoj Abraham, District Police Chief (Kozhikode City) A.P. Shoukathali, Superintendents of Police C.M. Devadas and Balakrishnan Nair, JDT Islam Orphanage and Educational Institutions president P.C. Anwar, and secretary C.A. Arif were among those present. A dance production, “Nerinte Chuvadukal”, and a play, “Jeevithathin Vilang Theerthavar”, carrying anti-corruption messages were staged as part of the campaign.

As part of Project Zero, VACB officials said they would undertake a range of activities, including revising the Vigilance Manual, conducting training workshops for internal vigilance officers, deploying Vigilance Commandos and organising awareness programmes to promote transparency and integrity.

According to them, a toll-free number, 1064, had already been established for the public to report instances of corruption. Young people interested in joining the programme would be able to register as Vigilance Commandos through the Vigilance department’s website, they added.