Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari in Nagpur. (Press Trust of India)
Union Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday rode into a controversy when he was caught on camera entering the RSS headquarters in Nagpur on his scooter without a helmet in violation of traffic rules.
The 58-year-old BJP MP from Nagpur was seen riding his white scooter to the Sangh headquarters in Mahal area to meet RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat amid efforts by the party to form government in Maharashtra.
When pointed out by journalists about him having violated traffic rules, Mr Gadkari refused to comment and entered the premises with a man riding pillion and another scooter in tow.
Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh strongly reacted to the incident, saying it reflected the "attitude of the leader and the party".
"It is a very small thing and for anyone else it wouldn't have mattered...for the transport minister of the government of India, who is violating the law which he had to be enforcing, then it does make a difference," he said. "This reflects the attitude of the leader and the party, whether they believe in following the rules or not."
It is not immediately known if Nagpur police is contemplating booking the Union Minister for violating traffic rules. According to Nagpur traffic police website, wearing helmet is compulsory and violators will be charged Rs 100 under Section 177 of the M V Act-1988.