Harish Rawat accepts his ‘presence’ in sting CD

Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat, however, said meeting a journalist was not a crime. “Is meeting a journalist a crime? Do we block any channels in politics?” Rawat told reporters here on the sidelines of a programme. 

Claiming innocence, Rawat said if the CD contained evidence of him having made an offer in cash or kind in exchange for the support of disgruntled MLAs he was ready to be hanged at Clock tower. Clock tower is a busy chowk in the heart of the town. However, from what the deposed chief minister said it was clear that a meeting did take place between him and the journalist who made the sting CD. 

It is significant as Rawat had so far been challenging the veracity of the CD, calling it ‘fake’. 

“Why should anyone spend Rs 15 crore for me. The man (journalist) was saying something meaningless to while away my time and I said something to while away his. How does it matter? We keep saying things like this on a daily basis. Does that mean they should be used against us?” Rawat said.