Expressing his strong views against caste-based politics, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has said a person’s greatness is determined by qualities and not by caste, religion, or gender. Mr Gadkari said he would not compromise on this principle even if it harms him in the polls and shared that he had once told a gathering, “Jo karega jaat ki baat, usko kas ke marunga laat”, meaning, “I will kick hard anyone who talks about caste.”

Mr Gadkari, a former BJP president and three-time MP from Nagpur, is the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways. His ministry’s work in expanding road infrastructure to the country’s remotest corners has drawn much applause.

Addressing the convocation ceremony of Central India Group of Institutions in Nagpur, he said, “When Dr Abdul Kalam became nuclear scientist, he achieved so much that his name reached everyone across the world. I believe that a person does not become great by caste, sect, religion, language, or sex, but by qualities. That is why we will not discriminate against anyone based on caste, sect, religion, language, or sex,” Mr Gadkari said.

📍𝑵𝒂𝒈𝒑𝒖𝒓 | Addressing convocation ceremony of Central India Group of Institutions https://t.co/8Q9SOcEsC4

— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) March 15, 2025

The veteran leader said he is in politics and caste leaders come to meet him. “But I am clear. I will live on my terms, whether or not I get votes. I once told a gathering of 50,000 people. ‘Jo karega jaat ki baat, uske kass ke maarunga laat’,” he said.

“My friends told me I may face setbacks due to this stand. But I am not concerned about it. Does anyone die if he loses an election? I will stick to my principles and practise them in my life,” he said.

Mr Gadkari said education was very important. “Education does not just benefit you and your family. It develops the society and the nation. Knowledge is power and imbibing this power is your mission.”

The minister said many people wrongly think he is an engineer because he has world records against his name. “I have 12 D.Litt degrees, but I don’t use the ‘Dr’ title. My story was… Emergency began in 1975 when I was in Class 11. I started working against the Emergency, my studies were affected and I did not qualify for engineering. So a person who could not qualify for engineering, how can he be a doctorate? So I don’t use the title.”

Mr Gadkari said he studied commerce and business management, holds records in civil engineering and has degrees in agriculture science. “So, understand the relationship between degree and success. Knowledge with entrepreneurship is very important. My advice to you is, don’t be a job seeker, be a job creator,” he told the graduating students.