Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari Falls Sick At Event, Sits Down During National Anthem

An aide of Gadkari said that his spell of uneasiness was probably due to some heavy antibiotics he had reportedly taken for a throat infection.

Nitin Gadkari (Source: PTI)

New Delhi: Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday felt dizzy at a public event at Solapur in Maharashtra and was forced to sit down midway while the national anthem was played there, agencies reported . An aide of Gadkari said that his spell of uneasiness was probably due to some heavy antibiotics he had reportedly taken for a throat infection. The incident happened at a function on the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Solapur University campus this afternoon where Gadkari was the guest of honour. Later, after arriving in his hometown Nagpur, the 62- year-old BJP leader said he is "fine". Even as Gadkari was standing for the national anthem, he leaned towards his left a bit and sat down with the support of his security guards who were standing behind him, as per the video footage of the function. "He was already feeling warm and felt uneasy due to the reaction of antibiotics he had taken. After the check-up, the doctor confirmed that his blood pressure and blood sugar level were normal," the aide was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. "He had some throat infection and he took a rather strong dose of antibiotics on Wednesday evening. The doctors told us that today's dizziness was caused by the dose," he said. "Doctors have asked us not to worry about his health. He will continue his tour," he said. Later in the evening, Gadkari arrived at his residence in Nagpur. Gadkari landed at the Nagpur airport at 6.45 pm. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who was returning from Amravati after attending a rally organised as part of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's `Maha Janadesh Yatra' met Gadkari at the airport. After coming out of the airport, Gadkari told waiting media persons that he is "fine". In December last year, Gadkari had fainted during an event in Ahmednagar. He was about to fall down when Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao supported him, following which Gadkari was taken to hospital. That incident happened during a convocation ceremony at the Mahatma Phule Agricultural University in Rahuri. The Union minister had addressed the gathering before the incident. A few moments later, when the national anthem was being played, he fainted while trying to stand up. In April this year, Gadkari fainted on stage while addressing an election rally near the temple town of Shirdi in Ahmednagar district. (with inputs from PTI)