Pune: Union minister of road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari on Friday said that it is not necessary for politicians to lie to remain in politics. “They should be positive and confident enough to speak the truth,” he said.Gadkari was conferred with the Lokmanya Tilak award by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in the presence of both deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, former Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde, and Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Trust president Rohit Tilak in Pune.Remembering the contribution of Lokmanya Tilak in India’s freedom struggle, Gadkari said, “Tilak is my role model who used politics for nation building. Politics is an instrument of socio-economic reforms, and today politicians need to use their position in bringing changes in society.”The Union minister emphasised that politicians should speak the truth irrespective of the response. “It is true that sometimes speaking the truth gets one in a difficult situation, but common people are clever enough to acknowledge the true work. Working for a socio-economic transformation is the sign of good politics,” he said.About his experience as the Union minister, Gadkari said he never faced shortage of funds, but the issue is the dearth of honest officials. “We need honest officers who will contribute to nation building. I like decision-making officers.”Fadnavis said, “In politics, many times I have observed that despite knowing the truth, some people hesitate to speak out. However, Gadkari is one such politician who does not hold back when it comes to speaking the truth.”Lauding the contribution of Gadkari in road and highways construction, the CM said, “Gadkari is one of the most performing ministers at the Centre. He is a man not just of vision but also of action. Under him, the Indian road infrastructure has transformed.”
