Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari
Politics is more than just a pursuit of power as it is a multifaceted activity involving building societies and the country with focus on development, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday and noted leaders who change parties to become CMs or ministers are not remembered by people for long. He deprecated the trend of putting up huge hoardings on the birthday of politicians and also issuing advertisements in newspapers to celebrate the occasion and said this will not make anyone a true leader.
The BJP leader was speaking virtually on the topic, 'Politics is an instrument of social-economic reforms', at the 11th Bharatiya Chhatra Sansad (Students’ Parliament) organised by the city-based MIT World Peace University.
"Politics is considered as satta karan (power politics ) but this is not the true meaning of politics. Power politics is one of the activities of politics. The true meaning of politics is rastra karan (politics of nation building), samaj karan (social politics), vikas karan (development politics), dharma karan (spiritual pursuit), arth karan (economic prosperity) and giving importance to 'lokniti' (public policy) over power politics," said Gadkari.
Unfortunately power politics is considered as real politics, he rued. "There is a need to change that definition and it is possible with the help of you (students who want to join politics ) and whose aim is not to fulfil their own ambitions but to serve marginalised people, work towards eradicating poverty, unemployment, hunger and making India a super economic power," said Gadkari.
The Union minister said challenges can be overcome with collective efforts. "I know there are challenges. We can not stitch the sky. However, sea is formed by every drop of water and if the drop decides not to go to the sea, it (sea) will not be formed. So every drop is a stakeholder," he added.
The 64-year-old parliamentarian advised students not to run after publicity in politics. "I see big hoardings on the birthday (of political leaders) in every city. What is the need to put up such huge hoardings? What have they done? By putting up such huge hoardings, giving advertisements in newspapers, one can not become a leader (in politics )," Gadkari said.
He said political leaders who switch sides for power and posts are not remembered by people for long. "Today icons like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Sant Tukaram, Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj, Shahu Maharaj, Veer Savarkar, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi are remembered, but those (leaders) who go from one party to another and become chief ministers and ministers... such people are not remembered for long," Gadkari said.
He said working for welfare of all sections of the society irrespective of religion, caste, creed, gender and language is the real "spirit of politics". Quoting RSS ideologue late Dattopant Thengadi, Gadkari said every politician thinks of five years, but every socio-economic reformer thinks of centuries. He asked students to decide whether they want to lead people or be led by them.
"Work for people, work towards providing jobs, work for promoting agriculture, innovations," the BJP leader said.
