Though the BJP leadership has managed to bring to an end the acrimonious war of words between two of its MLAs, Pranav Singh Champion and Deshraj Karnwal, the opposition Congress has firmly clenched the issue of fake caste certificate of Deshraj Karnwal raised by Champion with both hands. The spokesperson of the state unit of congress party, Garima Dasauni said that the issue is very serious cannot be swept under the carpet. She said that the fact remains that an MLA who is a very important and responsible member of the society has claimed that the caste certificate of Karnwal is fake. Dasauni said that documents of the Karnwal should be scrutinised to check their authenticity. Launching an attack on chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, the Congress spokesperson said that the whole episode exposes the ‘Zero tolerance on corruption’ policy of the chief minister.
She said that the fact that the chief minister had to intervene in the conflict between the MLAs even when the party had issued show cause notices to them raises suspicion on the authenticity of caste certificate of Karnwal.
She claimed that the BJP should clear its stand on the derogatory statements made by its MLA against Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. Dasauni said that the congress party is seeking legal opinion in order to initiate action against Champion on the remarks made by him on Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.
It is pertinent to mention here that unsavoury war of words between Khanpur MLA Pranav Singh Champion and Jhabreda MLA Deshraj Karnwal erupted after both these leaders projected their wives as possible candidate of BJP from the Haridwar Lok Sabha seat. Ignoring their claims the party reaffirmed its faith on its sitting MP, Ramesh Pokhariyal ‘Nishank’ but the acrimony between the two MLAs continued. In the war of words, Champion claimed that the caste certificate on the basis of Karnwal contested and won from a reserved constituency is fake.
Karnwal retaliated by charging that Pranav Singh has not won even a local level competition in any event of sports but he uses Champion after his name. Karnwal also raised question on Champion using the word Raja ( King) before his name and claimed that there was no princely state name Landhaura in India. During the bitter battle between the BJP MLAs, Champion even said that Dr B R Ambedkar and not Mahatma Gandhi should be the father of the nation.