Union Minister for Road Transport and Shipping Nitin Gadkari today said that the Navy is needed more on the borders from where terrorists sneak in and wondered why all Navy officials need to stay in South Mumbai.

"Navy is needed at the borders, from where terrorists come, why does everyone (in Navy) want to live in South Mumbai? They came to me asking for a plot, I said I will not give even an inch of land. Don't even come to my house with such demands," Nitin Gadkari said at a foundation laying ceremony of an international cruise terminal in Mumbai.

We respect them (Navy), but why do they want to stay only in South Mumbai? They should go and stay on (the) Pakistan border, it's there where they have to patrol - Nitin Gadkari, Union minister

"Everyone wants government quarters and flats on the prime land in South Mumbai. We respect them (Navy), but why do they want to stay only in South Mumbai? They should go and stay on (the) Pakistan border, it's there where they have to patrol," Nitin Gadkari added.

Nitin Gadkari's caustic comments come in the wake of the Navy objecting to a floating jetty off Malabar Hill in south Mumbai.

"I recently heard that the high court struck down your proposal for a floating jetty. What was the reason, Navy objected saying they have not given permission... Now where is Navy in Malabar hill? They have nothing to do with it. But there is a habit to stall good work," Gadkari said at the event which was attended by Western Naval Command chief Vice Admiral Girish Luthra.

"You bring that file to me. We are government, Navy or defence ministry is not government," Nitin Gadkari told Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who was also on the stage.

Gadkari added that he chairs a committee for stalled infrastructure projects and projects are cleared "as soon as they come on the agenda".

(inputs from agencies)

#WATCH: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari says, 'Navy is needed at the borders, from where terrorists come, why does everyone (in Navy) want to live in South Mumbai? They came to me asking for a plot, I said I will not give even an inch of land.' pic.twitter.com/45gQDlbcBP — ANI (@ANI) January 11, 2018



