Nitin Gadkari: Ruler in democracy must tolerate dissent
Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has said the biggest test of democracy is that the ruler will tolerate even the strongest opinion against him, leading to introspection by the ruler. Writers and intellectuals should express themselves fearlessly, he said at a book release event at MIT World Peace University in Pune on Friday.
The Modi-led BJP is often criticised for treating dissent as “anti-national”. Gadkari has been making periodic outbursts ever since Modi returned to power for a third term with a reduced majority.
Recently, Gadkari said he was offered the PM’s post by a senior Opposition leader, but he declined. An amused Shiv Sena (UBT) MP, Priyanka Chaturvedi, said Gadkari cooked up the story to express his “heartfelt desire to be on the top chair”.
