Introduction
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said on Sunday that road accidents claim more lives in India than terrorist attacks, riots, wars and even Covid-19, predominantly due to a lack of fear of the law. The remarks came at the concluding ceremony of a training programme for 1,400 tribal teachers organised by the Laxmanrao Mankar Trust in Nagpur.
Road safety concerns
According to The Times of India, Gadkari said, "People neither respect nor fear the law," and pointed out that around five lakh people die in road accidents in the country every year. He elaborated that the sacrifices of freedom fighters had secured Swarajya (self-rule) for the country, but the responsibility now was to transform it into Surajya (good governance).
Gadkari also outlined four areas he considered important for building a good society: Lok Prabodhan, Lok Shikshan, Lok Sangharsh, and Lok Sanskar. Speaking of self-improvement, he was quoted by the newspaper as saying, "No one is perfect and nobody can claim that they are," adding that people needed to work on their skills, knowledge, values and thoughts.
Tribal education and the trust's work
At the event, held on the premises of the Anusuaya Mata temple, Gadkari recalled that his mother regularly visited the temple and described the location as "holy and sacred." He said work in tribal education had been continuing for nearly three decades. Remembering former MP and founder of the Laxmanrao Mankar Trust, the union minister noted that Mankar was a teacher, an RSS swayamsevak, a member of the Jan Sangh and later the BJP. After Mankar withdrew from electoral politics, his health deteriorated and he died; his cremation at Amgaon led to the establishment of the trust.
Gadkari said technology should be used to take the trust's work to a wider audience. He also recited a song from his ABVP days about lighting a lamp where there was darkness, aiming to take society from darkness to light, and quoted Dr BR Ambedkar, saying education was like "tigress's milk." He offered space at his Agrovision building for a digital studio for patriotic songs and skill-development workshops.
Clarification about personal remarks
The Tribune reported that, during the same event, Gadkari also spoke about stepping back from some responsibilities and making way for the younger generation, remarks that sparked speculation about his political future. His office issued a clarification, saying the comments had been taken out of context and had nothing to do with politics.
The clarification, as reported by The Tribune, stated: "Nitin Gadkariji's statement had nothing to do with politics. He was specifically talking about the Laxmanrao Mankar Trust, an organisation established by him that runs Ekal Vidyalayas in tribal areas. In that context, Gadkari said he could no longer take on as much work as before and that the younger generation should be given an opportunity to take greater responsibility."
The office further explained that Gadkari spoke about the changing responsibilities within the trust and the need for younger members to carry its work forward. He reflected on nearly 30 years in public life and acknowledged his capacity to handle a heavy workload had declined. Despite the clarification, the remarks triggered widespread media speculation about retirement and a Cabinet reshuffle.
Context: Gadkari's role
Gadkari has served as Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways under Prime Minister Narendra Modi since 2014 and represents the Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency, as reported by The Tribune.
_Reporting sources: The Times of India and The Tribune_