Gadkari refutes Rahul on farmers' issue

Image
Press Trust of India New Delhi
Last Updated : Apr 22 2015 | 3:22 PM IST
"I never said farmers should not depend on either god or government," Union minister Nitin Gadkari said in Lok Sabha today, rebutting Rahul Gandhi who had attributed the comment to him during his speech in the House on agrarian crisis.
"I want to make it clear that I never made such a statement," the Minister said as he rose to make a personal explanation on the issue.
In his speech on Monday, Gandhi had said members of some NGO had informed him that Gadkari had told farmers that they should not depend on god and government, as the Congress leader attacked the Modi government for ignoring the plight of farmers suffering from unseasonal rains and hailstorm.
Gandhi had said he "admired" Gadkari as he was "honest" and spoke from his heart.
Gadkari said he had made a speech in Maharashtra saying that farmers continued to suffer but they should not be frustrated. "They should not only depend on god or government but work to improve farm production by using new methods," he quoted from his speech, refuting Gandhi's claim.
Gandhi claimed that he was praising him, to which Gadkari retorted that had he made such a statement, he would not be scared in accepting it. But he never said so.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Apr 22 2015 | 3:22 PM IST

Next Story