E-Paper
‘If Congress took rural regions seriously…’: Nitin Gadkari on India's poverty
Maharashtra assembly elections: Gadkari said he opposes using religion and caste as political tools.
Ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday said that the position of India's poverty would have been in a better place if Congress paid attention to the rural regions during its regime.
“Congress never seriously thought of the development of rural India. Had the rural India got priority then farmers would not have committed suicide, and there would not have been poverty in the villages," Gadkari said.
READ | Ahead of Maharashtra assembly polls, Raj Thackeray reignites loudspeaker row
"In 75 years of India's history, the Congress has consistently neglected the development of rural areas. Villages lacked basic amenities like roads and clean drinking water," he added.
The BJP leader was speaking at a rally in Maharashtra's Arvi and emphasised that the saffron party represents not just Prime Minister Narendra Modi and himself, but the dedicated workers who have devoted their lives to the party.
In the run-up to Maharashtra assembly polls, the union minister also acknowledged the vital role of party activists in his political journey.
Maharashtra polls: Gadkari recalls his early days as a BJP worker
Recalling his early days as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker, Gadkari, who is also an MP from Nagpur, shared memories of travelling on a scooter to the nearby Wardha district, where he was speaking.
READ | Congress vs BJP in Himachal Pradesh over CM Sukhu's ‘missing samosas’: What exactly happened?
He said the district plays a significant role in electing 62 of Maharashtra’s 288 MLAs.
Gadkari on reservation issue
Gadkari criticised the Congress for its failure to genuinely foster rural development, stating, "If rural India had been prioritised, we would not be witnessing farmer suicides and poverty in our villages."
He expressed his stance on reservations, clarifying that while he supports measures for socially, economically, and educationally disadvantaged groups, he opposes using religion and caste as political tools.
READ | Amit Shah says Hemant Soren's govt ‘laid out red carpet for Bangladeshi infiltrators’
"We must strive to grow through our hard work," he concluded, underlining the importance of genuine effort in advancing society.
