Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday hit out at its detractors for "concocting" his statements for a "nefarious and fabricated" campaign for political mileage.
The outspoken minister, who last week was dropped from the BJP parliamentary board, hinted at taking legal recourse in the larger interest of the government and the party.
"Today, once again, efforts were being made to continue the nefarious and fabricated campaign against me for political mileage on my behest by some section of mainstream media, social media and some persons in particular by concocting my statements at public programmes without context or correct reference," he tweeted.
He tweeted a YouTube link of his speech made at a book launch function on Tuesday that was selectively being used on social media.
"Although, I've never been disturbed by such malicious agendas of fringe elements but all concerned are hereby warned that If such mischief continues, I will not hesitate to take them to the law in the larger interest of our Government, Party and millions of our hardworking Karyakartas," he tweeted tagging BJP president J P Nadda and Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
A storyteller, Gadkari had at the book launch narrated an old incident where he had taken up the cause of building a road to a village in Maharashtra and had told the concerned official that if he stood by him it was fine but even otherwise it was fine with him.
"... I am not bothered about the consequences but I will do this job. If possible stand by me else I am not bothered," he had said at the book launch referring to his conversation with the concerned official.
This statement was cut to project on social media to say as if he was not bothered about losing his position.
In particular, Aam Aadmi Party's Sanjay Singh had tweeted that truncated video, asking why Gadkari was saying this. "BJP mein bahut badi gadbad chal rahi hai (there is something amiss in BJP)," he tweeted on Thursday morning.
Gadkari's tweet also came on a day when a leading newspaper carried a report quoting multiple senior BJP sources to say the former party president was dropped from the parliamentary board for his propensity to make "out of turn" and colourful remarks.
The Minister in the tweet on Thursday said that he was sharing the link of what he had actually said at the book launch to clear the air.