"Farmers' Protest Is Politically Motivated": Nitin Gadkari

Weighing in on the fresh farmers' protests that have emerged as a big political talking point going into the Lok Sabha elections, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday it was 'politically motivated'.

In a near-rerun of the previous farm protests of 2020 against three agricultural laws brought by the government, farmers, riding tractors, massed at the gates of the national capital in response to a call for 'Delhi Chalo' to push for a host of demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP (minimum support price), loan write offs, and withdrawal of police cases during earlier protests, among others.

On whether the electoral fallout of the farm protests 2.0 could hurt the BJP-led NDA going into the general elections, the Union Minister said he was hopeful that the farmers won't be 'misled' like last time and will demonstrate their electoral support for the government.

"The farmers' protest is politically motivated. Our government, over the last two terms, made many decisions for the benefit and welfare of farmers. Our government has always stood with the farmers. I believe they will not be misled and will vote in our favour," Nitin Gadkari told ANI on Wednesday.

Farmers' groups, earlier, mobilised a massive movement in 2020-21 against the three farm laws that were brought by the central government. Faced with escalating protests, the Centre eventually rolled back the farm laws.

Meanwhile, speaking on ongoing probes against Opposition leaders and arrests by central investigating agencies, Nitin Gadkari said, "The agencies do their job. It has nothing to do with the government, leaders, ministers, or the Prime Minister. It is the law taking its course."

Exuding confidence that the target set by the National Democratic Alliance of winning more than 400 seats could be accomplished, the Union Minister said, "We will definitely win more than 400 seats. I am confident. People throughout the country believe that to change the future of the country, to work for the welfare of farmers, the Bharatiya Janata Party government under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi need to be brought to power. We are sure of success."

Rubbishing the remarks made by BJP MP Anantkumar Hegde for Karnataka, that the target of winning 400 seats was fixed by the party so that they can change the Constitution, Nitin Gadkari said, "There is no question of changing the constitution. We do not want to change the constitution. We will definitely protect the Constitution."

Slamming the Congress, the Union Minister said, "During the rule of the Congress, the Constitution was broken 80 times. We respect the Constitution, and there is no question of changing it."

On the Electoral Bonds scheme which was recently declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, Nitin Gadkari said, "We had implemented Electoral Bonds for transparency. The party needs money. We formulated Electoral Bonds so that the money comes in a formal transparent route. It is a matter of the Supreme Court. If something new comes up we will definitely think about it."

Rubbishing claimed about consolidation of some section of voters towards him, Nitin Gadkari said, "I have never discriminated against any caste, sect, religion, language or party and no one voting for me has thought about such differences."

Snubbing Uddhav Thackeray's recent invitation to join the Maha Vikas Aghadi, the senior BJP leader said, "Even after knowing that I belong to BJP and am a volunteer of RSS, people still love me. Prime Minister has also said that 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas', we are good with everyone."

On the party's vote prospects in Maharashtra, where it has been accused of orchestrating splits in two parties, Nitin Gadkari said, "The triple engine government will win the elections in Maharashtra in a good way. The NDA will get more seats in Maharashtra than in the last election, and we will certainly emerge victorious."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)