Madan Kaushik ran away from debate: Manish Sisodia on Uttarakhand minister’s no-show - Hindustan Times
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Madan Kaushik ran away from debate: Manish Sisodia on Uttarakhand minister’s no-show

Hindustan Times, Dehradun | By
Jan 04, 2021 05:51 PM IST

Sisodia had reached Dehradun for the open debate challenge on Monday on which he had earlier written an open letter to Kaushik

A day after Uttarakhand urban development minister Madan Kaushik wrote a four-page open letter to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) senior leader and Delhi deputy chief minister (CM) Manish Sisodia calling him a “tourist politician”, Sisodia on Monday alleged that Kaushik “ran away from the debate as he had nothing to talk about on development in Uttarakhand.”

Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia.(ANI)
Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia.(ANI)

Sisodia had reached Dehradun for the open debate challenge on Monday on which he had earlier written an open letter to Kaushik. Sisodia, during his first visit to Dehradun last month, had asked the Trivendra Singh Rawat-led BJP government to list “only five development works in its three-and-a-half years of tenure so far.”

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To that Kaushik had said that he could list “not just five but over 100 such works” in a debate not in Uttarakhand but AAP’s den, Delhi. Following that, Sisodia had said that he would be in Dehradun on January 4 for the one-on-one debate with Kaushik. Sisodia reached the pre-decided auditorium for the debate on Monday morning but Kaushik didn’t appear.

“After Kaushik accepted the debate challenge, I was happy that this would be good for a healthy democracy as leaders from two different governments would come face to face before the public and talk of their development works. But by not coming today [Monday], Kaushik seems to have run away from the debate,” said Sisodia.

Alleging that Kaushik didn’t come because he had “no development work” to list, Sisodia said the BJP government has done nothing for the people of state.

“The 100 programmes that Kaushik was talking about must be only on paper. If they would have been implemented, then Kaushik would have come here today [Monday]. He didn’t come because none of the programmes have been implemented,” said Sisodia.

Addressing the gathering of AAP workers in the auditorium, the Delhi deputy CM termed BJP governance as the “sting model of governance” in a jibe on a sting on alleged corruption allegations on CM Rawat.

“While our governance model in Delhi is the [Arvind] Kejriwal model of governance, the one here in Uttarakhand is the sting model of governance. We have worked to improve Delhi’s schools, hospitals, power and water supply and to generate jobs. All this can’t be done by the BJP government because it is neck deep in corruption and focussing on stings,” said Sisodia.

During the event, he asked the AAP workers to prepare for the 2022 assembly elections.

“It is clear that the contest in 2022 would be between BJP and AAP and nobody else because it is only the AAP which can fulfil the dreams of Uttarakhand,” said Sisodia.

He also invited Kaushik to Delhi on January 6 for the debate. “If he comes to Delhi, then I will show him our works in education, health, power, water, women security and others.”

Despite several attempts, Kaushik couldn’t be contacted for a reply.

BJP state vice-president Devendra Bhasin meanwhile, termed the debate challenge in the auditorium as “mere drama.”

“AAP and Sisodia did drama there by putting up their hoardings and gathering their own party members. They are not serious in state politics. We are always ready for a debate in a neutral forum and with a serious environment,” said Bhasin.

Countering Sisodia’s “sting model of governance” jibe, Bhasin said, “Kejriwal’s model of governance is tell lies and spread misconceptions. Their governance is also of betraying their own like what they did to Anna Hazare.”

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Kalyan Das covers crime, transport, human rights and central government offices from Bhopal and Indore.

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