New Delhi, 25 August (H.S.): Amid speculation linking Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari’s remark about “handing over responsibility to the younger generation” to possible political developments, his office on Tuesday clarified that the statement was made in the context of the Mankar Trust and not politics.

In a statement issued by Gadkari’s office, it said that the minister had made the remark while discussing the functioning of the Laxmanrao Mankar Trust, founded by him, and its future leadership. The statement noted that the Laxmanrao Mankar Trust runs Ekal Vidyalayas in tribal areas.

In this context, Gadkari had said that he was no longer able to work as much as he had in the past and that the younger generation should be given greater responsibility and an opportunity to take the work forward. His office said some media organisations had taken the remark out of its actual context and presented it as a political statement, which was incorrect.

The statement further clarified that Gadkari’s remarks were specifically related to the functioning of the trust and its future leadership and had no political connotation.

Gadkari had made the remarks at an ‘Ekalavya Ekal Vidyalaya Teacher-Supervisor Training Class’ programme held in Nagpur. He had said that he was unable to work as much as he used to and that the time had come to hand over responsibility to the younger generation.

Following the remarks, they were widely interpreted as possibly signalling political changes, prompting the clarification from his office.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar