Nagpur: Remembering former minister Datta Meghe as a towering yet compassionate figure, Union minister Nitin Gadkari and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday announced that memorials will be built in his honour in Nagpur and Wardha, ensuring that Meghe’s legacy continues to inspire future generations.The announcement about the memorials was made during a condolence meeting held at VCA Jamtha, where political leaders cutting across party lines gathered to pay tributes to the veteran leader, widely known as Dattabhau. The event saw presence of several ministers, legislators, former public representatives and members of the Meghe family, including his sons MLA Sameer and Sagar. Also present were mayor Neeta Thakre, labour minister Akash Fundkar, ministers of state Pankaj Bhoyar and Ashish Jaiswal, Rajya Sabha MP Maya Ivnate, MLAs Sanjay Kute, Nana Patole, Abhijit Wanjari and several former ministers.Paying rich tributes, Gadkari described Meghe as “a rare personality in politics” and recalled his journey from humble beginnings to becoming a support system for thousands. Sharing a personal anecdote, he highlighted Meghe’s deep commitment to education and social upliftment. “A vegetable vendor’s son, who was diagnosed with cancer, could not afford treatment. After he recovered, he wanted to pursue pharmacy. When I spoke to Dattabhau, he said, ‘If the boy scores good marks, let us admit him to engineering’. Today, that boy is an MTech graduate and a professor. He transformed his life completely,” said Gadkari, adding that there are many such stories that reflect Meghe’s generosity.Chief minister Fadnavis echoed similar sentiments, calling Meghe “a true leader of the masses, especially the underprivileged”. He said Meghe’s life was a testament to perseverance and selfless service. “He rose from poor background through sheer determination, completed his education with hard-earned money, and went on to build a strong political and social presence. People called him ‘Dattabhau’ out of affection, but in reality, he was ‘Datta-bhau’ — one who gave generously,” Fadnavis said.
