AAP’s debate challenge: Uttarakhand min says politics serious subject, not theatre that AAP wants open debate

Amid the ongoing debate challenge politics between Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) senior leader and Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and Uttarakhand urban development minister Madan Kaushik, the latter has written a four-page open letter to Sisodia in which he has called him a “tourist politician to Uttarakhand”.

Kaushik released the letter on social media on Sunday in which he also attacked the AAP government in Delhi by alleging it of “duping” people of Delhi in its seven-year rule”.

Kaushik’s open letter has come in response to Sisodia’s letter dated December 31 wherein he had invited Kaushik for an open debate in Dehradun on January 4 on the development works done by the BJP government in its three and a half years of tenure.

Kaushik in his letter stated, “Uttarakhand welcomes crores of tourists each year. It doesn’t have any problem in welcoming a tourist politician like you.”

Replying on Sisodia’s debate challenge, he said, “As far as the debate challenge is concerned, any of our leader, minister or even a small party worker is ready for it anywhere. But Sisodia should understand that politics is a serious subject and not any theatre show that he wants with the open debate.”

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Attacking the AAP, he termed it as a party with a “migratory” mindset.

“Everyone in the country knows about it. Sometimes their leadership tries to leave Delhi and head to Uttar Pradesh and then it tries for chief ministership of Punjab. Now they have turned towards Uttarakhand. However, people of our state are very aware and believe only on development-based politics and not AAP’s hope-selling politics due to which people of Delhi are suffering,” said Kaushik.

Citing Sisodia’s challenge to list five development works in health, education, power, water, employment and others, Kaushik alleged that “AAP’s Delhi government has failed on all these fronts but it is asking Uttarakhand’s BJP government which has done several hundred works on these fronts.”

“In education, the AAP government promised to open 400 libraries in Delhi but not even 1/4th have been set up. Also, it has falsely praised itself by supplying water for only two hours a day in many areas. Their Mohalla Clinics have also been locked, on which they thump their chests. There is also a constant dropout of children from government schools in Delhi. On the other hand, if Sisodia checks the works done by us, he will know the reality,” said Kaushik.

He also took a jibe on Sisodia’s letter which stated the year 2020 instead of 2021 as the debate date. “It just shows how much he is serious with facts and figures. He should first do proper homework and check the facts before coming for a debate.”

On Kaushik’s letter, AAP Uttarakhand president SS Kaler said, “If Kaushik doesn’t come forward for the debate on Monday, it will show that there are no development works to show. We will then go among people to expose this government. This will enable people to look for themselves at development claims while voting in the next assembly elections in the state in 2022,” said Kaler.