'I Stay In Delhi For 2 Days, Get Infection': Nitin Gadkari Flags Toxic Air

Delhi's toxic air has drawn strong remarks from within the ruling BJP, with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari saying that two days in the national capital gives him an infection.

Addressing a gathering at the launch of veteran journalist Uday Mahurkar's book, 'My Idea of Nation First: Redefining Unalloyed Nationalism', Gadkari said the biggest form of nationalism today will be to increase the country's exports and decrease its imports. I stay (in Delhi) barely for two days, and an infection follows. Why is Delhi reeling under pollution?"

"I am the transport minister, 40 per cent of pollution is due to us... because of fossil fuel. We are spending Rs 22 lakh crore on importing fossil fuels and increasing pollution. What nationalism is this?" he said, lamenting that people are not ready to accept eco-friendly technologies. "Can't we make an Atmanirbhar Bharat with alternative fuel and biofuel?" he asked.

In another significant remark, Gadkari said it is wrong to say that every Muslim is a terrorist. "There must be a gradation in how fundamentalist and poisonous someone is. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam is our icon; the number of people like Dr Kalam has to be increased. Education has to be taken to them. I often see what Muslims do, run teastalls, and puncture shops, and there is a lack of education and population growth," he said.

Gadkari said "Hindu-Muslim issues" in the country are the result of the Congress's vote bank politics. Secularism, he said, means "justice for all", but policies brought for vote bank politics created the problem. "Our culture is not communal and casteist. Hindutva is generous and tolerant," he said.

Reiterating views once expressed by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he said, "India is a secular country. It was secular and it will remain secular. "This is not because of the BJP or RSS. It is because of Bharatiya Sanskriti, Hindu Sanskriti and Sanatan Sanskriti, which teaches us to wish for the welfare of the entire world."

The BJP government in Delhi is under fire for its failure to check the spiralling air pollution in the national capital, with the Air Quality Index in 'very poor' and 'severe' categories for weeks now.

Imran Masood, Congress, latched onto Gadkari's remarks to take a jab at the Delhi goverment and the Centre, both held by the BJP. "Gadkari at least had the courage to admit it. When you are offering all the solutions, please suggest a solution for this as well. I don't think vehicles are the only source of pollution. Vehicles operate outside Delhi as well," he said.