Nitin Gadkari spoke about businessmen being harassed by government officials

Coming down on red-tapism, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said on Saturday that he warned some officials earlier in the day that if a certain issue was not resolved, he would tell people "dhulai karo" (thrash them).

The Union Minister, whose portfolios include road transport and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, was addressing a convention of Laghu Udyog Bharti, an RSS-linked outfit working in the MSME sector.

Asking the entrepreneurs who attended the convention to expand their businesses fearlessly, Mr Gadkari spoke about businessmen being harassed by government officials.

"Why we have this red-tapism, why do all these inspectors come, they take ''hafta'' (bribe). I tell them to their face, you are (government) servant, I have been elected by people. I am answerable to people. If you commit theft, I will say you are a thief," he said.

"Today I held a meeting at RTO office here...director and transport commissioner attended," Mr Gadkari, who represents Nagpur in the Lok Sabha, said.

"I told them, you solve this problem within eight days, otherwise I will tell people take law into your hands and thrash them ("dhulai karo"). My teachers have taught me this -- throw out the system which does not give justice," he added.

The minister, known for his blunt way of talking, did not elaborate on which problem he was referring to.