A day after his 'missing' posters surfaced across Delhi on Sunday, former cricketer and Bharatiya Janata Party MP Gautam Gambhir, who skipped a crucial meeting two days ago on Delhi pollution, hit out at the Aam Admi Party (AAP) for trolling him. (More Cricket News)
Gambhir said, "If air pollution in Delhi increased due to my eating 'Jalebis' then I can give up eating them. I was trolled within ten minutes and if the same hard work they had done on controlling pollution which they had done on trolling me, then the national capital would be breathing clean air."
The 'missing' posters surfaced in the ITO area in Delhi on Sunday. Pictures of Gambhir, who appears on sports channels for cricket commentary, enjoying 'jalebis' in Indore on the same day also surfaced on social media.
"Lost. Have you seen this person? He was last seen eating jalebis in Indore. The entire Delhi is looking for him," the message, along with a picture of Gambhir, read.
Meanwhile, a close aide of the BJP MP alleged that the posters were a handiwork of the AAP that has not been able to digest the humiliating defeat of its candidate, Atishi Marlena, at the hands of Gautam Gambhir in the Lok Sabha election.
Atishi herself made a scathing attack on Gambhir.
"A week is a long time in politics, but not for @GautamGambhir who clearly needs more time to get out of his primary commitment - cricket. He was notified of the Committee on Urban Devt meet on air pollution exactly one week ago. Very unfortunate that the Hon MP couldn't make time," she had tweeted.
Gambhir explained the reasons for not attending the meeting, saying: "I know the meeting was very important but I was contractually bound. I had signed the contract in January and I joined politics in April. Due to contractual obligation, I had to go for the commentary. On 11th November I received the mail and on the same day, I had informed them the reason for not attending the meeting."
"I am very much concerned about pollution in Delhi as my two kids stay here," he added.
Earlier, the AAP criticised the former cricket star for not attending the meeting, saying he was "busy enjoying" in Indore, at a time when Delhi was reeling under severe air pollution levels.
The parliamentarian had hit back at the AAP, saying he should be judged by his work and not by "propaganda or false narrative spread by the minions of the honest" chief minister.
(With ANI inputs)
