The navratras. Dussehra. And, the big bang. Diwali. The national capital is in festive mode. Businessmen are looking perkier, for the season always loosens purse strings and unleashes a river of money into the economy. But, Delhi roads were stagnant. From almost every flyover, one could see rivers of red lights stretching in both directions. At a signal, an ambulance howled its heart out. The Audi in front pulled into a private driveway to make way. Just as the ambulance moved into the slot ahead, two small cars took its place, cutting off the Audi. When is the next break in traffic coming for him?
It was against this backdrop that Nitin Gadkari said, “If you keep buying cars at this pace, my ministry will have to add lanes at regular intervals. And, that will cost the country around Rs 80,000 crore per lane.” Speaking at The Hyatt Regency, Delhi, Gadkari clarified that his ministry was only responsible for highways. He also made a strong pitch for alternative fuels and water transport. It’s all right up his alley, as he holds portfolios of road transport and highways, shipping and water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation. On September 26, Gadkari had an hourlong chat with Barkha Dutt at The Town Hall, a series of conversations hosted by THE WEEK and Mojo, supported by Federal Bank, in association with Mirror Now.
The minister deployed a mix of humour, smart answers and sharp statistics to wow The Town Hall audience. He sidestepped a few questions, too. Like the one on Union Minister Uma Bharti. Answering a question from the audience about Ganga rejuvenation, Gadkari began by saying that Bharti had done good work. Barkha interrupted: “Then why was that portfolio taken away from her and given to you?” A grinning Gadkari said he would come to it as soon as he finished answering the gentleman in the audience. And, quite understandably, he never came back to it.
Federal Bank zonal head K.A. Babu presents a memento to Gadkari | Sanjay Ahlawat
On expected lines, Barkha’s opening volley was about the state of the economy. The minister defended demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax, accepted there were teething problems and promised that in six months the economy would be growing steadily. “In double digits?” probed Barkha. Gadkari did not take the bait. He said it would go back to the original 7.5 per cent and would climb from there.
When the discussion veered into government spending, Gadkari said that bureaucrats were to blame for 80 per cent of the delays in projects. Barkha: “Do you realise that there are quite a few of them in this audience?” And, there were laughs all around. Gadkari said everyone, him included, had a problem with dishonest bureaucrats. But, he had a problem with the honest ones, too. “I have a problem with honest officers who refuse to work. Stick to your principles, but make a decision,” he said. “Say yes, no, anything. But, say it.” He stressed the need for positivity in politics and bureaucracy, and said sometimes a bad proposal could be corrected and used, instead of dumping it altogether.
Reports about his ultimatum to automobile companies to switch to electric vehicles or get bulldozed were not accurate, said Gadkari. “I had said 10 sentences before that and 10 after, but this one got picked up,” he quipped. He said the nation’s electricity surplus had made alternative vehicles and alternative fuels possible, and automobile companies must look at that possibility. As policy maker, the government would push in that direction, he said. Citing numerous examples from his travels abroad, he pushed for green fuels like ethanol, and called for indigenous research in all these sectors. Gadkari clarified: “What I told auto companies was that I would like all this to happen. So, if you are with me, good. It will happen even if you are not. I want carmakers to convert new technology into health [by cutting pollution] and wealth [by reducing fuel costs].”
When Tesla came up as a topic, Gadkari said the vehicles were magnificent. He said there was no ban on Tesla in India, and that he had personally met Elon Musk and offered him land, tax breaks and government support to set up a production facility here. Musk politely turned it down as he had commitments in the US market and they were going for a big push in China, Gadkari said.
The minister said he was a friend to everyone and that 99 per cent of the MPs who walked into his office with a problem received a positive response. “Now you are friends even with [Delhi Chief Minister] Arvind Kejriwal…,” quipped Barkha. Gadkari laughed and said, “After I became president of the BJP, I went to Ajoy Bhavan, met A.B. Bardhan and touched his feet. I said, ‘I know you disagree with my ideologies, please continue to do so, but bless me’. I have never had an issue with people, only ideologies.” About Rahul Gandhi, the minister quipped, “Kaafi weak hai [He’s quite weak].” He said the Congress vice president could improve a lot as he has a solid background in politics.
No conversation with a BJP leader is complete without food politics. Gadkari said the BJP had no problems with the diverse food habits in India. Cow slaughter was a sentimental issue, he admitted. When asked about the BJP units in the northeast and south having a problem with the beef ban, Gadkari said the BJP was a democratic party with the depth to hold diverse views within itself.
The audience had a lively time with the minister. For example, when former Army chief J.J. Singh shared his concerns about roads in Arunachal Pradesh, Gadkari warmly invited him to his office for a detailed chat. When image guru Dilip Cherian suggested that the transport ministry set up a fund to support indigenous research in the sector, Gadkari said that he had already given an open offer to universities to fund original work on transport and roads.
While Gadkari did not stay for the cocktails, he graciously accepted a memento from K.A. Babu, zonal head of Federal Bank.
Gadkari was at his candid best throughout the evening. When Vinod Sharma, political editor of Hindustan Times, asked him why he was passed over for the defence minister’s post, a frank Gadkari said, “It was not my area of expertise. I am happy doing things I am competent to do.”
