The BJP president, Mr Nitin Gadkari, who is also chairman of a sugar factory, embarks on a personal business trip to Spain from Monday while his party remains entangled in a series of political problems, including in Jharkhand.
Mr Gadkari, whose business interests include electricity generation through sugarcane, is also expected to visit some biofuel generation projects in Spain.
Mr Gadkari will be travelling with his family and plans to return to India after a fortnight.
A section of the BJP has voiced objections to the party president going on a “vacation” at a time when some crucial issues, including the political crisis in Jharkhand and key organisational appointments, remain pending.
In Jharkhand, while the former chief minister and Jamshedpur MP, Mr Arjun Munda, is the frontrunner for the chief minister’s post in Ranchi, the power-sharing formula with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, its coalition partner in the state, is yet to be resolved. The JMM wants the chief ministership to be shared between the two parties on an equal basis. The smaller members of the coalition, including the AJSU and Janata Dal (U), had asked the BJP president to take a final call.
But with Mr Gadkari going abroad on Monday, the matter would remain unresolved till his return.
Hectic lobbying is also on within the party for the state in-charge posts, particularly for those of BJP-ruled states, but these too can now only be decided after Mr Gadkari comes back.
Showing posts with label Nitin Gadkari. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nitin Gadkari. Show all posts
Monday, May 17, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
Gadkari dogged, SP plans to move HC
A day after calling the Samajawadi Party and RJD leaders “dogs”, the BJP president, Mr Nitin Gadkari, is busy apologising for his remark. However, the RJD chief, Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav, wants the BJP chief to “hold his ears and apologise”. The SP, on the other hand, threatened to move court against Mr Gadkari for his “objectionable” comments against party chief, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mr Lalu Yadav.
Taking a dig at their own chief, some saffron functionaries said on Thursday afternoon: “Woh to bhav mein bah gaye (He got carried away).” An angry Mr Lalu Yadav, meanwhile, said, “We will first try to give Gadkari tablets to cure his mental bankruptcy, then put him on capsules, and if the tablets and capsules fail, we will put him on injections.” The official BJP stand is that now that Mr Gadkari has apologised, “the chapter is closed”.
On Mr Gadkari criticising the SP, RJD and BSP for not supporting the NDA during the cut motion, alleging that they did so out of fear of the CBI, Mr Lalu Yadav said the BJP president was spearheading a campaign against the CBI to save several leaders of his own party who had allegedly stashed “unaccounted black money” in Swiss banks. “The BJP president is desperate,” Mr Lalu Yadav said.
“Our president held a press conference in Chandigarh today and explained the whole issue. He very quickly retracted his statement and apologised,” the BJP spokesperson, Mr Nirmala Sitharaman, said. The Samajwadi Party spokesman, Mr Mohan Singh, said his party was seeking legal opinion to sue the BJP chief.
Taking a dig at their own chief, some saffron functionaries said on Thursday afternoon: “Woh to bhav mein bah gaye (He got carried away).” An angry Mr Lalu Yadav, meanwhile, said, “We will first try to give Gadkari tablets to cure his mental bankruptcy, then put him on capsules, and if the tablets and capsules fail, we will put him on injections.” The official BJP stand is that now that Mr Gadkari has apologised, “the chapter is closed”.
On Mr Gadkari criticising the SP, RJD and BSP for not supporting the NDA during the cut motion, alleging that they did so out of fear of the CBI, Mr Lalu Yadav said the BJP president was spearheading a campaign against the CBI to save several leaders of his own party who had allegedly stashed “unaccounted black money” in Swiss banks. “The BJP president is desperate,” Mr Lalu Yadav said.
“Our president held a press conference in Chandigarh today and explained the whole issue. He very quickly retracted his statement and apologised,” the BJP spokesperson, Mr Nirmala Sitharaman, said. The Samajwadi Party spokesman, Mr Mohan Singh, said his party was seeking legal opinion to sue the BJP chief.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
My comment was only about Gujarat riots: Gadkari
BJP president Nitin Gadkari has said it will not be entirely correct to say the 1984 anti-Sikh riots were initiated by the Congress government.
In an interview given to BBC's Urdu service and broadcast on Sunday, Mr. Gadkari said that the media had focussed intensely on the Gujarat riots of 2002 but let off the Congress governments lightly for other riots. He first said the Gujarat riots were a fact, but “the basic thing is nobody can manipulate such incidents. These were unfortunate reactions by the people at large.”
Asked if this applied to the situation in 1984 also and whether there was no manipulation involved then, he said: “Look, some people may be involved in those riots but it would be entirely incorrect to say that the riots were initiated by the government.”
As news agencies put out reports based on the interview, Mr. Gadkari denied having said this. From Nagpur, he told PTI that his comment was about the Gujarat riots and the Gujarat government, not about 1984 and the Congress government.
Amit Baruah, head of the BBC Hindi service here, told The Hindu that it had received no denial or clarification on the interview. It had been 24 hours since it was on air, and the tape recording of the interview, in its possession, made it very clear that the question was about 1984 and Mr. Gadkari was certainly talking about the 1984 riots and the Congress government.
In an interview given to BBC's Urdu service and broadcast on Sunday, Mr. Gadkari said that the media had focussed intensely on the Gujarat riots of 2002 but let off the Congress governments lightly for other riots. He first said the Gujarat riots were a fact, but “the basic thing is nobody can manipulate such incidents. These were unfortunate reactions by the people at large.”
Asked if this applied to the situation in 1984 also and whether there was no manipulation involved then, he said: “Look, some people may be involved in those riots but it would be entirely incorrect to say that the riots were initiated by the government.”
As news agencies put out reports based on the interview, Mr. Gadkari denied having said this. From Nagpur, he told PTI that his comment was about the Gujarat riots and the Gujarat government, not about 1984 and the Congress government.
Amit Baruah, head of the BBC Hindi service here, told The Hindu that it had received no denial or clarification on the interview. It had been 24 hours since it was on air, and the tape recording of the interview, in its possession, made it very clear that the question was about 1984 and Mr. Gadkari was certainly talking about the 1984 riots and the Congress government.
Friday, February 19, 2010
BJP chief offers ‘grand’ masjid for Ram mandir
In a move to solve the Ram mandir issue, the BJP chief, Mr Nitin Gadkari, has come up with an exchange offer for the minority community.
He suggested, if the Muslims help build the Ram mandir, the BJP would help construct a “grand” masjid in return. Trying to reach out to the minorities, Mr Gadkari sou-ght their help to strengthen the nation. He, however, evaded all other contentious issues. Earlier, in a bid to counter the Congress, he had tried to reach out to the Dalits.
Mr Gadkari, who is desperately trying to strike a balance between the Sangh and a secular line, said that his party preferred an amicable solution, rather than settling the matter through courts.
“In litigation, one party may win and the other may lose,” Mr Gadkari said while addressing the party on the second day of the national executive on Thursday. A section of saffron leaders claimed that Mr Gadkari’s approach to solve the temple issue was in sharp contrast to his predecessor, Mr Rajnath Singh, who had adopted an aggressive approach to settle the dispute.
Considered to be an RSS man for the job, Mr Gadkari exhorted the minorities to “see for themselves what the BJP stands for.” Though he refrained from raking up the contentious issues, he targeted the Centre for “yielding to external pressure on the Kashmir issue.”
He suggested, if the Muslims help build the Ram mandir, the BJP would help construct a “grand” masjid in return. Trying to reach out to the minorities, Mr Gadkari sou-ght their help to strengthen the nation. He, however, evaded all other contentious issues. Earlier, in a bid to counter the Congress, he had tried to reach out to the Dalits.
Mr Gadkari, who is desperately trying to strike a balance between the Sangh and a secular line, said that his party preferred an amicable solution, rather than settling the matter through courts.
“In litigation, one party may win and the other may lose,” Mr Gadkari said while addressing the party on the second day of the national executive on Thursday. A section of saffron leaders claimed that Mr Gadkari’s approach to solve the temple issue was in sharp contrast to his predecessor, Mr Rajnath Singh, who had adopted an aggressive approach to settle the dispute.
Considered to be an RSS man for the job, Mr Gadkari exhorted the minorities to “see for themselves what the BJP stands for.” Though he refrained from raking up the contentious issues, he targeted the Centre for “yielding to external pressure on the Kashmir issue.”
Thursday, February 18, 2010
You can’t come up by running down colleagues, Gadkari tells partymen
Bharatiya Janata Party president Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday warned party workers that they could not hope to climb the political ladder even as they hit out at others.
In a strongly worded message to his colleagues, at the National Executive Committee meeting here, Mr. Gadkari said one should not try to gain something for oneself at the expense of others. While trying to get something for oneself, one should never attempt to put down a colleague. Apni rekha badi karo, doosron ki choti nahin.
Quotes Vajpayee
He quoted a poem by the former Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, to drive home the point that small minds could not achieve greatness and those whose will was broken could not stand on their feet. Chote manse koi badi baat nahin hoti, toote manse koi khada nahin hota. It was in this context he said there was no reason for the BJP to be in despair though it had lost two successive Lok Sabha elections. After all, the party was running governments on its own or with allies in nine States.
Mr. Gadkari attacked the Congress for being “soft on terrorism,” especially AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh’s visit to the “villages of terrorists in Azamgarh [in Uttar Pradesh],” spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad quoted the BJP chief as having said, although he admitted that the party’s approach to security issues and terrorism had not paid off in both 2004 and 2009, with the BJP crying hoarse over the repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act brought in by the Vajpayee government. But “we cannot stop talking about national security [just] because we lost the election,” Mr. Prasad said.
On Tuesday, Mr. Gadkari began his day in Madhya Pradesh with a visit to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s birthplace in Mau, a signal that he would try and woo the Scheduled Castes back to the party. Especially in Uttar Pradesh, where the party has not only lost whatever support it may have had among Dalits but is also wary of the upper castes moving towards the Congress.
In his address at the National Executive, Mr. Gadkari said fighting untouchability was not a matter of vote-bank politics for the BJP, but one of social commitment to egalitarianism.
With the recent Pune terrorist strike and naxal violence in West Bengal as reference points, Mr. Gadkari focussed on security, talking about the “red corridor” from Pashupatinath in Nepal to Tirupati in south India.
Quota for women
Earlier, the former BJP president, Rajnath Singh, talked about the ups and downs of the party during his tenure and mentioned that it was the only party which reserved 33 per cent of all posts for women, from the mandal level to national office-bearers and the National Executive Committee (the move was made during his term).
In a strongly worded message to his colleagues, at the National Executive Committee meeting here, Mr. Gadkari said one should not try to gain something for oneself at the expense of others. While trying to get something for oneself, one should never attempt to put down a colleague. Apni rekha badi karo, doosron ki choti nahin.
Quotes Vajpayee
He quoted a poem by the former Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, to drive home the point that small minds could not achieve greatness and those whose will was broken could not stand on their feet. Chote manse koi badi baat nahin hoti, toote manse koi khada nahin hota. It was in this context he said there was no reason for the BJP to be in despair though it had lost two successive Lok Sabha elections. After all, the party was running governments on its own or with allies in nine States.
Mr. Gadkari attacked the Congress for being “soft on terrorism,” especially AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh’s visit to the “villages of terrorists in Azamgarh [in Uttar Pradesh],” spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad quoted the BJP chief as having said, although he admitted that the party’s approach to security issues and terrorism had not paid off in both 2004 and 2009, with the BJP crying hoarse over the repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act brought in by the Vajpayee government. But “we cannot stop talking about national security [just] because we lost the election,” Mr. Prasad said.
On Tuesday, Mr. Gadkari began his day in Madhya Pradesh with a visit to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s birthplace in Mau, a signal that he would try and woo the Scheduled Castes back to the party. Especially in Uttar Pradesh, where the party has not only lost whatever support it may have had among Dalits but is also wary of the upper castes moving towards the Congress.
In his address at the National Executive, Mr. Gadkari said fighting untouchability was not a matter of vote-bank politics for the BJP, but one of social commitment to egalitarianism.
With the recent Pune terrorist strike and naxal violence in West Bengal as reference points, Mr. Gadkari focussed on security, talking about the “red corridor” from Pashupatinath in Nepal to Tirupati in south India.
Quota for women
Earlier, the former BJP president, Rajnath Singh, talked about the ups and downs of the party during his tenure and mentioned that it was the only party which reserved 33 per cent of all posts for women, from the mandal level to national office-bearers and the National Executive Committee (the move was made during his term).
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Gadkari does a Rahul, has lunch in Dalit’s house
Seeking to challenge Rahul Gandhi’s bid to attract Dalits, BJP President Nitin Gadkari walked the extra mile to show his concern for the community on the eve of the three-day party meet beginning here on Wednesday.
Putting his best foot forward to attract Dalits, the first thing Gadkari, 52, did after reaching here on Tuesday was to proceed to nearby Mhow, the birthplace of B. R. Ambedkar and pay his respects by garlanding the statue of the Dalit icon there.
Later, he went to the house of a local BJP corporator Preeti Karosiya who hails from the Dalit Valmiki community for lunch.
Mr. Gadkari has time and again declared that the focus of the party would be more on Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minorities and other weaker sections.
His pet theme has been ‘Antyodaya’, serving the last man in the queue.
The new BJP president aims to increase the party’s vote bank by 10 per cent by winning over these sections.
In fact, BJP has now been saying that its aim was to provide good governance and development while working for the ’last man’
Rahul Gandhi has been visiting Dalit households during his tours in Uttar Pradesh.
Putting his best foot forward to attract Dalits, the first thing Gadkari, 52, did after reaching here on Tuesday was to proceed to nearby Mhow, the birthplace of B. R. Ambedkar and pay his respects by garlanding the statue of the Dalit icon there.
Later, he went to the house of a local BJP corporator Preeti Karosiya who hails from the Dalit Valmiki community for lunch.
Mr. Gadkari has time and again declared that the focus of the party would be more on Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minorities and other weaker sections.
His pet theme has been ‘Antyodaya’, serving the last man in the queue.
The new BJP president aims to increase the party’s vote bank by 10 per cent by winning over these sections.
In fact, BJP has now been saying that its aim was to provide good governance and development while working for the ’last man’
Rahul Gandhi has been visiting Dalit households during his tours in Uttar Pradesh.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Sena, BJP differ on ‘Marathi Manoos’
In a stand that may widen the party's rift with Shiv Sena over the issue of North Indians living in Maharashtra, BJP President Nitin Gadkari on Monday said there was no conflict between regional and national identities and his party did not believe in discrimination on this basis.
Arguing that Indians from all parts of the country had a right to live anywhere within Indian borders, Mr. Gadkari said BJP was only opposed to special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370.
Mr. Gadkari reinforced the RSS view on the Maharashtra issue. “We respect as a ground reality that at a regional level there is tradition, heritage and language identity. But there is no conflict between regional and national identity. And so, we do not believe in any linguistic, religious or regional identity that discriminates or differentiates,” the BJP president said.
He said BJP recognised the presence of different cultures and languages in India. “BJP believes that there may be different languages and costumes (in various states) but it is one country,” Mr. Gadkari said, adding, “Presence of any language, regional or religious identity in a place is also a fact in India...This is also the strength of India.”
Mr. Gadkari maintained that Shiv Sena was an alliance partner and since both were independent parties, they could have differences over various issues.
“What the RSS has said (that North Indians should be protected in Maharashtra) is absolutely correct. All over India, every countryman has rights and all political parties should respect this basic feeling among all Indians,” BJP vice-president Shanta Kumar said. He said political parties should keep in mind that “just for politics, we should not divide the country.”
The RSS on Sunday said it would protect North Indians living in Maharashtra, a contention that brought the chasm between BJP and Shiv Sena, its ally in the state, out in the open. Shiv Sena and Raj Thackeray-led MNS have repeatedly targeted North Indians working in Maharashtra.
Another senior RSS leader Sheshadari Chari on Monday echoed the views of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on the issue. “Every Indian should be protected everywhere, not only on Indian soil but also outside it. If Indians are attacked in Australia, even there they require to be protected. So it is not a question of North Indians being protected in Maharashtra and South Indians being protected in Delhi,” he said.
Mr. Sheshadri stressed that RSS was opposed to this idea of “segregating the people on basis of community, caste, religion or language” as it amounts to dividing them.
Responding to Mr. Bhagwat’s remarks, Sena leader Manohar Joshi had on Sunday said, “The time has come to remind RSS that Mumbai belongs to Marathi people only.”
Uddhav takes on RSS
Meanwhile, targeting RSS over its spokesperson Ram Madhav’s statement about protecting north Indians against any discrimination in Mumbai, Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray on Monday asked the Sangh not to interfere on the issue of Maharashtra capital.
“Ram Madhav should not worry about Mumbai issue and should not teach us patriotism and unity,” Mr. Uddhav told reporters here on Monday.
“During 1992 Hindu-Muslim riots, Sena protected Hindus but where was RSS that time,” Mr. Uddhav said.
Mr. Ram Madhav should worry about south Indian States and teach Hindi in those States, Mr. Uddhav said.
Setting aside Shiv Sena’s claim that Mumbai was for Marathi manoos only, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had said recently, “Mumbai is for all Indians. People of all languages, communities, tribes are children of India...Nobody can prevent Indians from moving to any part of the country in search of employment.”
Arguing that Indians from all parts of the country had a right to live anywhere within Indian borders, Mr. Gadkari said BJP was only opposed to special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370.
Mr. Gadkari reinforced the RSS view on the Maharashtra issue. “We respect as a ground reality that at a regional level there is tradition, heritage and language identity. But there is no conflict between regional and national identity. And so, we do not believe in any linguistic, religious or regional identity that discriminates or differentiates,” the BJP president said.
He said BJP recognised the presence of different cultures and languages in India. “BJP believes that there may be different languages and costumes (in various states) but it is one country,” Mr. Gadkari said, adding, “Presence of any language, regional or religious identity in a place is also a fact in India...This is also the strength of India.”
Mr. Gadkari maintained that Shiv Sena was an alliance partner and since both were independent parties, they could have differences over various issues.
“What the RSS has said (that North Indians should be protected in Maharashtra) is absolutely correct. All over India, every countryman has rights and all political parties should respect this basic feeling among all Indians,” BJP vice-president Shanta Kumar said. He said political parties should keep in mind that “just for politics, we should not divide the country.”
The RSS on Sunday said it would protect North Indians living in Maharashtra, a contention that brought the chasm between BJP and Shiv Sena, its ally in the state, out in the open. Shiv Sena and Raj Thackeray-led MNS have repeatedly targeted North Indians working in Maharashtra.
Another senior RSS leader Sheshadari Chari on Monday echoed the views of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on the issue. “Every Indian should be protected everywhere, not only on Indian soil but also outside it. If Indians are attacked in Australia, even there they require to be protected. So it is not a question of North Indians being protected in Maharashtra and South Indians being protected in Delhi,” he said.
Mr. Sheshadri stressed that RSS was opposed to this idea of “segregating the people on basis of community, caste, religion or language” as it amounts to dividing them.
Responding to Mr. Bhagwat’s remarks, Sena leader Manohar Joshi had on Sunday said, “The time has come to remind RSS that Mumbai belongs to Marathi people only.”
Uddhav takes on RSS
Meanwhile, targeting RSS over its spokesperson Ram Madhav’s statement about protecting north Indians against any discrimination in Mumbai, Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray on Monday asked the Sangh not to interfere on the issue of Maharashtra capital.
“Ram Madhav should not worry about Mumbai issue and should not teach us patriotism and unity,” Mr. Uddhav told reporters here on Monday.
“During 1992 Hindu-Muslim riots, Sena protected Hindus but where was RSS that time,” Mr. Uddhav said.
Mr. Ram Madhav should worry about south Indian States and teach Hindi in those States, Mr. Uddhav said.
Setting aside Shiv Sena’s claim that Mumbai was for Marathi manoos only, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had said recently, “Mumbai is for all Indians. People of all languages, communities, tribes are children of India...Nobody can prevent Indians from moving to any part of the country in search of employment.”
