Gadkari refutes Hazare`s allegations in sugar factories issue

Mumbai: BJP leader Nitin Gadkari on Friday refuted the allegations by social activist Anna Hazare in connection with auctions of cooperative sugar factories in Maharashtra.

Hazare and fellow activist Medha Patkar have alleged that some politicians bought up distressed cooperative factories cheap via auctions, thus shortchanging the sugarcane farmers who are original shareholders.

They had named Gadkari alongwith a few Congress and NCP leaders.

"We had issued a public notice thrice in the newspapers. The sugar factory which we purchased was a dead asset. By bidding at the highest rate we had purchased that factory in auction. Hazare`s allegations are baseless," Gadkari told reporters here.