Union Minister Nitin Gadkari says corrupt road contractors will be bulldozed, sparks row

BETUL: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has courted a controversy for saying that corrupt road contractors will be bulldozed.

The veteran BJP leader made these remarks in Betul district in Madhya Pradesh while warning the road contractors that they will be put before bulldozers instead of crushed stones if they indulge in corruption.

Gadkari said this while addressing a gathering of tendu leaves collectors and unorganised labourers here.

"kaam theek se ho raha hai, nahi ho raha hai yeh thekedaaron ko dekhna hai. Maine unko ko bataake rakha hai ki agar kaam (road construction) theek se nahi hua toh main mitti ki jagah aapko daal dunga (The contractors have to see whether the roadworks are happening properly or not. I have told them that if work is not being done properly, I would throw them under bulldozers instead of crushed stones)," Gadkari said.

Importantly, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was also present at the event.

The Union Transport Minister further warned that he won't tolerate corruption and asserted that the money does not belong to contractors but "the poor of this country". 

Gadkari has come under attack for making the highly insensitive remarks.