NAGPUR, Oct. 1 -- Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday broke his silence over allegations of financial impropriety. He said he was being "targeted by vested interests" and accused of wrongdoing as part of a "deliberate smear campaign". Addressing a gathering while inaugurating a flyover near Kamptee, a satellite town of Nagpur, Gadkari said the campaign was being driven by vested business lobbies that had suffered losses due to the Union government's ethanol blending policy. "Some people lost business because of ethanol, so obviously they are angry with me. Out of this anger, they started a paid news campaign. But, don't worry, I have your love with me. I never struck deals with contractors, hence I fear no one. I have done nothing wrong, so I will not be disturbed by fake allegations," he said. Last week, social activist Anjali Damania had alleged that Gadkari had benefited by awarding toll collection and road construction contracts to Ideal Energy Projects Limited (IEPL) and its group companies, in which his son Nikhil was allegedly a partner. Damania had claimed that IEPL, established by the Mhaiskar family, was cleared for large bank loans to set up a 540-MW coal-based power project in Nagpur district. After commissioning one 270 MW unit, the company declared bankruptcy, with dues of around Rs.3,200 crore. According to Damania, the company's assets were later acquired at a "meagre price" of Rs.300 crore by another firm, which was linked to Gadkari's younger son, Sarang. She demanded action against the Union minister under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. While Gadkari refrained from naming Damania, who had contested against him in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from the Nagpur constituency, he maintained that the allegations were a fallout of his ethanol policy, which had disrupted entrenched fuel import businesses. "My efforts are directed at empowering farmers as energy providers. Ethanol production from agricultural produce has reduced fossil fuel imports and increased farmers' incomes. My own car runs on ethanol. This is why certain powerful lobbies are rattled and spreading falsehoods," he said. Gadkari further remarked that politics today had become "a game of jealousy, deceit and ego". He added, "People always throw stones at trees laden with fruit. But no matter how many allegations are made, I will not be upset. I have faced such situations before. You should not be disturbed either." He reiterated that he had "not taken a single penny from any contractor" and stressed that his policies would remain focused on promoting ethanol blending, reducing pollution, and making India self-reliant in energy....