Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam today condemned the remarks made by Union Minister for Shipping Nitin Gadkari regarding the Navy alleging that Gadkari wanted "real estate interests to take precedence over national security," Gadkari had yesterday said during a public function that "not an inch" of land would be given for Navy housing in south Mumbai and had questioned why all their personnel here wanted to stay in this posh area when they should be at the Pakistan border. He had made the remark while voicing his disappointment at the Navy's objection to a floating jetty plan at Malabar Hill in south Mumbai which was to have a floating hotel and a seaplane service. In a statement issued today, Nirupam said, "Nitin Gadkaris attack on the Navy who is guarding our borders is a clear case of hypocrisy by the BJP Government. On one hand, they say that this is a government that works and respects the jawans while on the other, Gadkari has directly attacked and showed disrespect towards the Navy." The statement added, "It is the Navy's job to secure our borders and our coastline. This is exactly what they are doing.
For his own interest, Nitin Gadkari wants real estate interests to take precedence over national security. His statement exposes the hypocritical side of this government.
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