Nitin Gadkari retiring? His office clarifies on 'can't work much now' remark: ‘Nothing to do with…’

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's recent remarks about handing over greater responsibilities to younger people triggered speculation on social media about whether he was hinting at a possible retirement from public life. His office has now clarified that the comments were not political and were made specifically in connection with the Laxmanrao Mankar Trust.

What did Nitin Gadkari say?

Gadkari made the remarks at an event organised by the trust in Nagpur, Maharashtra, on Sunday. While speaking about the organisation and the need to involve younger members, he 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.”

The comments, which were originally made in Marathi, were subsequently widely circulated on social media. His statement led to discussions over whether he was referring to his political career or considering stepping away from active public life.

Gadkari's office issues clarification

Amid the speculation, Gadkari's office issued a clarification on Tuesday, stating that his remarks had been taken out of context and were not related to politics.

According to the clarification, Gadkari was speaking about the Laxmanrao Mankar Trust, an organisation founded by him that operates Ekal Vidyalayas in tribal areas. The Union minister was attending an event organised by the trust when he made the comments.

“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 said.

His office further alleged that some television news channels aired the comments while presenting them in a political context, despite the remarks being related to the trust's functioning.

Gadkari's remarks trigger retirement buzz

The comments quickly gained traction online, although there were no political reactions to them. Much of the discussion centred on Gadkari's statement that he “can't no longer work so much” and whether it could signal plans to retire from politics.

According to an NDTV report, Gadkari made the comments while reflecting on his long stint in public life. He also spoke about the “many ups and downs” he had experienced while taking on several major roles and responsibilities.

During the address, Gadkari also spoke about how his lifestyle had changed over the years. He recalled that, as a youngster, he could eat whatever was available while managing his work.

However, he said he adopted a more disciplined routine after the Covid-19 pandemic.