Gadkari's 'Next Generation' Remark Draws Clarification From Office

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's recent comments about handing over work to the younger generation have prompted a clarification from his office, which said the remarks were taken out of context and were not political in nature.

Speaking at an event in Nagpur on Sunday, the 69-year-old minister said he had been working continuously for 30 years but could not work much more now. He added that work should be handed over to the new generation, with the older generation providing guidance.

The statement was interpreted by some as a hint at a possible political transition, especially amid ongoing speculation about a Union Cabinet reshuffle.

However, Gadkari's office issued a statement on Tuesday saying the remarks had nothing to do with politics. The comments were specifically about the Laxmanrao Mankar Trust, which runs Ekal Vidyalayas in tribal areas. The office said Gadkari was referring to his inability to take on as much work as before and that the younger generation should be given greater responsibility in the trust's functioning and future leadership.

The clarification comes days after the BJP revamped its national office-bearer team, with Smriti Irani returning as general secretary and Ram Madhav as vice president. The party's recent moves have been seen as a pivot towards Gen Z voters, a shift that some argue was accelerated after widespread student protests over alleged corruption in the public examination system.

Separately, Gadkari has faced criticism over his association with the push for ethanol-blended fuel. The Opposition has targeted him on the issue, and in July, the Bombay High Court allowed him to file civil suits against Meta, X, and Google over allegedly defamatory AI-generated deepfake videos and manipulated content related to the ethanol-petrol controversy.