Irked over the BJP legislator Madan Kaushik giving a call to gherao the Congress office in Haridwar, the Mahanagar Congress Committee president Anshul Shrikunj asked the saffron MlA for an open debate at Subhash Ghat on 30 September. He said that the debate would make the report card of his party’s achievements clear. Besides, it would make clear what the MlA had achieved over 15 years he had been holding important positions in the district, he said. He asked other BJP leaders and activists to attend the proposed debate in full strength.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Anshul Shrikunj said, “If Kaushik acts on his threat of gheraoing the Congress office, he must come out with his own report card involving his achievements over 15 years he has been holding various portfolios in the district. Otherwise, the Congress workers would force him to do the same.”
Shrikunj further said that BJP should take the city Mayor Manoj Garg from the same party to task for the pathetic plight of the Nagar Nigam before casting aspersions on the Congress on the count of development.
The Congress leader also slammed the Haridwar MP and senior BJP leader Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank for his failure to get Haridwar included in the Smart City list and to fetch funds from the Centre for the Ardh Kumbh mela. “We are daring the MP to participate in the debate to make his stand clear,” he said.
Meanwhile, the state women Congress vice- president Santosh Chauhan said that her party would observe 30 September as Sankalp Diwas to take vows to make Haridwar district free from BJP.