If my eating jalebi led to rise in pollution, I can give up: Gambhir hits back at AAP

PTI, Nov 19, 2019, 9:52 AM IST

New Delhi: Cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir on Monday hit back at the Aam Aadmi Party after being targeted by “missing” posters that said the MP was “last seen eating jalebis in Indore”.

The posters cropped up in Delhi after Gambhir skipped a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Urban Development on air pollution in the National Capital Region.

“If my eating jalebi led to the rise in pollution in the national capital then will stop eating jalebis forever. The work that I have done in my five months of tenure as an MP of Delhi is proof of my seriousness for the issue of pollution,” Gambhir told reporters outside Parliament on Monday.

Gambhir, who is the only Lok Sabha MP in the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Urban Development, skipped the crucial meeting of the panel held on Friday. His absence invited a lot of flak, with AAP leaders launching a concerted campaign against him.

Acknowledging the importance of the meet, Gambhir defended his absence, saying he was under contractual obligation to be in Indore for the India-Bangladesh cricket match commentary.

He then hit back at the AAP and asked the Arvind Kejriwal-led party to focus on curbing pollution rather than attacking him.

The East Delhi MP said he has two small daughters and is sensitive about the issue.