Opp AITC spokesman dares CM for open debate on MDA misgovernance

In a letter to Sangma, the AITC national spokesperson said, “As a politician, I am eager to discuss and debate the misgovernance of your government in public in front of the press. I only hope that you and your government believe equally in India’s democratic ethos and will not shy away from a public debate about your own (mis)governance. I look forward to your response and for a suitable date anytime according to your convenience in the 1st week of October for a public debate with any minister you’d nominate against me from the MDA government.”

This came a day after the chief minister had maintained that his government cannot have debates with any Tom, Dick and Harry.

Gokhale also challenged the MDA government to an open debate on issues related to Smart Electricity Meters, contractor cronyism in the Meghalaya Assembly Dome collapse, irregularities in Shillong Smart City Ltd, Saubhagya Scheme, and the Police Vehicle Scam.

“I’m sure that a government that is honest about its track record should have at least 1 minister confident of defending the government in a public debate with the Opposition in presence of the media,” he said adding “I’m, therefore, re-iterating my challenge for an open debate. If your government hasn’t done any wrong, I see no reason why you or your ministers should be so afraid of a public debate on very pressing issues.”

Stating that he was amused by the CM’s claim of not knowing of him, Gokhale said, “Let me rewind your memory back to 2019 when we had dinner together at a famous restaurant in New Delhi and talked about a wide range of topics. Though, I’m willing to make concession for the fact that this selective amnesia might be a result of reluctance to debate the misgovernance of the MDA government.”

He went on to reintroduce himself saying “I am the National Spokesperson of Meghalaya’s largest & Indian Parliament’s 2nd largest Opposition Party: Trinamool Congress. You do not need to have known me personally as long as, one hopes, you are aware at least of the issues of Meghalaya. The challenge I’ve thrown for a debate is not to discuss personal lives. It is to debate the issues of misgovernance in Meghalaya, for which, you do not need to “know me”.”

He also alleged that for the last one week, several people from the NPP have used distracionary tactics and frivolous excuses to escape from debating the one single point that matters i.e. the issues of misgovernance in Meghalaya.

“It makes one wonder why the MDA govt would be so afraid of a public debate if it is confident about its governance and has nothing to hide,” he said.

By Our Reporter