'Nothing to do with politics': Nitin Gadkari clarifies amid retirement buzz over 'can't work much now' remark | India News

'Nothing to do with politics': Nitin Gadkari clarifies amid retirement buzz over 'can't work much now' remark

During an address in Maharashtra's Nagpur on Sunday, August 23, Nitin Gadkari called for young people to be given more responsibility, sparking speculation.

Union minister Nitin Gadkari's recent remark while calling for more young people to take charge of work sparked speculation about his political future. His office has now issued a clarification.

During an address in Maharashtra's Nagpur on Sunday, August 23, Gadkari called for young people to be given more responsibility and said: “I can no longer work so much…I urge people to give young people more work. There are new people now and the old ones are guiding them.”

A video of his remarks, made in Marathi, were widely shared online, with people discussing what it could have meant. On Tuesday, Gadkari's office issued a clarification, saying the union minister's statements were not political and he was speaking specifically about the Laxmanrao Mankar Trust, an organisation established by him that runs Ekal Vidyalayas in tribal areas.

Nitin Gadkari's remarks were made during an event organised by the Trust in Nagpur.

“In that context, Gadkari said that he could no longer take on as much work as before and that the younger generation should be given an opportunity to take greater responsibility. His remarks were clearly related to the functioning and future leadership of the Trust,” his office clarified, adding that some TV news channels broadcasted his remarks and gave it a political context, which was not the case.

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Nitin Gadkari's remarks from the Nagpur event are now going viral. While there were no political reactions, there was speculation online whether his “can't no longer work so much” remark hinted at any retirement plans.

“I can no longer work so much…I urge people to give young people more work. There are new people now and the old ones are guiding them," Gadkari said. According to an NDTV report, the remarks came after Gadkari noted his time in public life and also recalled the “many ups and downs” he faced, apart from fulfilling major roles and responsibilities.

Also Read: Nitin Gadkari lost 46 kgs, and his weight loss secret is waking up at 7 am and exercising for 2 hours

He also reflected on his lifestyle as a youngster when he could eat whatever was available as he managed work, but has switched to a more disciplined routine ever since Covid-19 struck, the report added.

However, the statement from his office put the retirement buzz to rest, clarifying that Gadkari was only referring to the trust that had organised the Nagpur event, and his call for giving young people more responsibilities came only in that context.

Poorva Joshi is a Senior Content Producer with nearly five years of experience in journalism. She covers Indian politics and geopolitics, with a focus on diplomatic relations, trade negotiations, and economic policy between countries. She has previously worked at India Today, CNN-News18 and India TV. Over the years, she has reported extensively on major national and international developments, including the Air India plane crash, the Pahalgam terror attack, India–US trade tensions, tensions in the Middle East, high-profile crime stories in India, multiple state Assembly elections, and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. She spearheaded the Bihar Assembly elections live blog, which drew over one million users to the Hindustan Times website. Her reporting on India–US tariff and trade tensions has consistently driven strong readership and engagement for the platform. In addition to reporting, she has spent a significant part of her career leading newsroom shifts, ideating stories, editing and fine-tuning copies, and seeing coverage through from planning to publication, alongside writing original articles. At HT, she received the Insta Award for being the top contributor to the HT News Team in November.Read More