CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR, Sept 27: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, while speaking at a felicitation event for Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagade, expressed his concerns about the current state of politics, which he believes has shifted from its original purpose of social service and nation-building to a focus on power.
Highlighting this change, Gadkari said, “The meaning of politics is ‘samajkaran, rashtrakaran, and vikaskaran’ (social service, nation-building, and development). But now, the definition of politics has changed to ‘sattakaran’ (power politics) only.”
The senior BJP leader took the opportunity to reflect on the “absence of thoughts” in modern-day politics, noting that the problem today is not differences of opinion but a “lack of meaningful ideas and discussions.”
Challenges During Early Days in Politics
Recalling his early political career, Gadkari reminisced about the hurdles he and fellow RSS workers faced. “Earlier, while working as RSS workers, we faced many hurdles. There was no recognition and respect,” he said, adding that Haribhau Bagade worked with dedication for the welfare of the people.
Gadkari further detailed the hardships he endured while working in Vidarbha for two decades, noting that during post-Emergency times, people were hostile toward their rallies. “People used to throw stones at our rallies. Post-Emergency, the autorickshaw I used for making announcements was set ablaze by people,” he recalled.
Sacrifices of Early Party Workers
The Minister for Road Transport and Highways also credited the hard work and dedication of early party members for the success of the BJP today, noting that the popularity he enjoys is not his own but belongs to workers like Bagade.
“Now, thousands of people come to listen to me. But this popularity is not mine, it is thanks to the workers like Haribhau Bagade who worked hard and risked their lives,” Gadkari said.
A True Party Worker
In closing, Gadkari emphasized the qualities of a good party worker. “A good party worker is the one who behaves well even though he does not get anything in the party. Those who get something naturally behave well,” he remarked, pointing to the need for genuine dedication to the party’s cause rather than individual gain.
