Gautam Gambhir’s Retort To AAP Amid Pollution Meet Row, “Cc: Trolls”
Gautam Gambhir has responded to the avalanche of criticism from AAP leaders after he missed a high-level parliamentary panel meeting on the air pollution crisis in Delhi. Mr Gambhir, who is in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore to commentate on the India vs Bangladesh cricket match, posted a long note on his Twitter account in which he said my work “will speak for itself” and then criticised the AAP for “making my commercial engagements (which were entered into before I had become an MP) an issue…” Gautam Gambhir was the only MP from Delhi who had been summoned to the meeting that was scheduled to start 11 am. Attendance was poor, with only four of 29 MPs summoned turning up. Earlier today Mr Gambhir was mercilessly trolled after fellow former cricketer VVS Laxman tweeted a photo of the two of them eating jalebis and poha in Indore on the day of the parliamentary panel meet. Mr Gambhir, who repeatedly sparred with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi, including Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, both during his election campaign and since, was swiftly targeted by AAP leaders and other Twitter users, leading to #ShameOnGautamGambhir trending across the country. AAP posted multiple tweets criticising Mr Gambhir for not attending the meeting. The party also pointed out its Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh attended the meeting. Saurabh Bharadwaj, the AAP MLA for Delhi’s Greater Kailash neighbourhood, also took to Twitter, reminding Mr Gambhir he had “7 days to eat Jalebi & poha” before returning to attend the meeting. Mr Bharadwaj also posted a nearly three-minute long video on his official Twitter account, in which he accused Gautam Gambhir of abusing privileges of Parliament. “Today, there was a parliamentary meeting about pollution in Delhi. You will be worried to know that our East Delhi MP, Gautam Gambhir, was not present… strict action should be taken against those who were not present. They are clearly in contempt of the powers and privileges of parliament,” the AAP MLA said in the video.
