Facing heat, Gadkari shuts out media, attacks Cong on graft

October 28, 2012   ·   0 Comments

SHIMLA

Days after he offered himself for probe by any government agency in connection with allegations his firm, BJP chief Nitin Gadkari Saturday reached poll-bound Himachal Pradesh to address two rallies, but preferred to shut out the media and its queries.

The BJP, which had a day ago expressed unanimous support to his continuance in office, did not arrange any meeting of Gadkari with the press. Some journalists who managed to reach near the podium where he was sitting or near his helicopter found their queries stonewalled by a mum Gadkari.

Party general secretary JP Nadda, who had earlier assured that Gadkari will meet “media friends”, later said that the party chief will meet the press on October 30 during his next visit to Shimla.

Earlier in the day, Gadkari arrived at Jubbarhatti airport, 22 km from Shimla, and flew to Rekong Peo in tribal Kinnaur district to address a rally. He then flew to Nerva, 130 km from Shimla.

Sources in the party said the rally sites, located in rough hilly terrain and not easily accessible by road, were chosen to shield Gadkari from the media.

Addressing the rally at Nerva, Gadkari attacked the Congress, alleging that the money siphoned off through various scams by the Congress could have been utilised for development and eradicating poverty.

“I have made a rough calculation about loss caused to the nation due to the 2G scam, Commonwealth Games scam and Coal-gate. It comes to around Rs 25,38,000 lakh crore. Imagine the kind of development, which the country could have witnessed had this amount been utilised on development, building new roads and generating employment,” Gadkari said.

By Web Editor

Tags: Congress, development, graft, October, rally, the Congress