SHILLONG:
All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) national spokesperson, Saket Gokhale, on September 27 reacted to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma’s comment that he would not debate with just ‘any Tom, Dick or Harry’, by saying that the latter seems to be suffering from ‘selective amnesia’.
Gokhale, in a letter addressed to the CM, mentioned that he had challenged Sangma to an open debate in front of the media about Smart Electricity Meters, contractor cronyism in the Meghalaya Assembly Dome collapse, irregularities in Shillong Smart City Ltd., Saubhagya Scheme, and the Police Vehicle Scam.
After Sangma said that he cannot debate with just anybody, Gokhale reminded him of their meeting in New Delhi where they had discussed a wide range of topics. He also elaborated that he is the national spokesperson of Indian Parliament’s second largest opposition party: Trinamool Congress.
Gokhale also asked why the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government is so afraid of a public debate if they have not resorted to any unscrupulous practices and have nothing to hide.
“It is to debate the issues of misgovernance in Meghalaya, for which, you do not need to ‘know me’,” he explained.
Addressing the Chief Minister, Gokhale wrote, “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.”
Previously, Gokhale had also challenged Deputy Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Prestone Tynsong, to an open debate on the blatant misgovernance imparted by the NPP-led MDA government.