Nitin Gadkari. File | Photo Credit: The Hindu

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Monday (September 29, 2025) refused to be pulled into an issue over allegations towards him with regard to ethanol mixing, saying it’s work of a strong import foyer upset by his selections.

Speaking at a programme in Nagpur, the Minister likened himself to a “tree that bears fruit,” and stated, “I don’t respond to such criticisms because then it becomes news. The tree that bears fruit is the one people throw stones at. It is better that we avoid it.” Mr. Gadkari stated the main focus of his coverage is to advertise ethanol mixing, make farmers power producers, and cut back air pollution. He claimed that the coverage had instantly damage these with vested pursuits in gasoline imports.

“About ₹22 lakh crore were going out of the country owing to imports of fossil fuels. Their businesses got affected and they got angry and started paid news against me,” the Minister stated.

“I have not taken a single penny from any contractor till date and hence contractors fear me,” he pressured.

Mr. Gadkari stated he would deal with his work and never get distracted by false allegations, that are frequent and predictable a part of politics. “People know what the truth is…I have gone through such things many times in the past.” CIAN Agro Industries, an organization run by Nikhil Gadkari, son of the Union Minister, has been the centre of an issue over dramatic rise in earnings and revenues for the reason that time the BJP-led authorities mandated 20% ethanol mixing in petrol.

The firm noticed its income surge from ₹17.47 crore (Q1 FY24) to ₹510.8 crore (Q1 FY26). Profits too shot up from nearly negligible ranges to over ₹52 crore, largely driving the ethanol mixing increase and enlargement into new subsidiaries.

CIAN Agro’s share value additionally zoomed to ₹2,023 on the BSE on Monday from ₹172 a yr in the past. Analysts have stated the expansion isn’t solely from ethanol gross sales, but in addition from “other income” and new companies.

Published – September 29, 2025 05:34 pm IST