Two of the four newly-appointed advisers to Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu may face a strict action for their recent controversial remarks on Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and Pakistan. Amidst raging controversy over the issue, Congress’ Punjab party affairs in-charge Harish Rawat will be on two-day State visit from Tuesday.
Rawat on Monday sought a detailed report from the state Congress chief after his advisers’ remarks sparked a major controversy giving much fuel to the opposition parties ahead of crucial 2022 polls. At the same time, Sidhu has also summoned his advisors — Malwinder Singh Mali and Dr Pyare Lal Garg — to his residence on Monday to discuss the matter.
Notably, Dr Garg — Baba Farid University of Health Sciences’ former Registrar — had questioned Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s criticism of Pakistan; while Mali — a poll analyst — made a controversial remark on Kashmir. Earlier, Mali also posted an objectionable poster of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on social media.
Besides the opposition, Sidhu’s two advisors were slammed by many Congress leaders, including Capt Amarinder who dubbed their comments as “totally misplaced and antagonistic” to the stated position of India and the Congress on Pakistan and Kashmir.
Rawat, reacting to Mali and Dr Garg’s controversial remarks on Pakistan and Kashmir, maintained that their statements are “doubtful”. “But, if they have made these statements, action will be taken,” said Rawat.
Rawat made it clear that the persons, who have made the said statements, were not appointed by the party, but were the appointments made by Punjab Congress president at his own level. “The person about whom the statement has been made is not a member of our party. Still, if such statements have been made – it is still doubtful – then we will definitely take action over it,” he said.
He maintained that the statements could have been twisted for political advantage with the state assembly polls slated less than a year away. “I had sought information. Sidhu ji and some others say that statements were twisted. There is a possibility that political advantage is being sought at the time of polls,” he said.
Rawat further said that he would like to clarify on behalf of the party that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. “Nobody has the right to cast a doubt on that status, let alone issue a statement,” he said.
On posting a controversial sketch of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by Sidhu’s adviser Mali, Rawat said that the party will condemn everything that insults her. “She was one of the most popular leaders. She was a mother figure to us. If something insulting is said about her, we will condemn it. If proven while collecting information, action will be taken,” he asserted.
Earlier in the day, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former Minister Daljit Singh Cheema also took a dig at Sidhu by stating that the Punjab Congress chief was himself friendly with the Pakistan Prime Minister and Army Chief, so his advisors were just following suit.
A day before, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder, asked Sidhu’s advisers to stick to giving advice to the PPCC president and “not speak on matters of which they clearly had little or no knowledge, and had no understanding of the implications of their comments”.
Capt Amarinder had also warned against “atrocious and ill-conceived comments that were potentially dangerous to the peace and stability of the State and the country”, referring to the recent statements made by the two advisers on sensitive national issues like Kashmir and Pakistan.
PPCC’s working president and MLA Kuljit Singh Nagra, however, refused to comment on the issue.
Meanwhile, former Union Minister and Congress MP from Sri Anandpur Sahib Manish Tewari has urged the party to introspect on whether those who do not consider Jammu and Kashmir as a part of India and have pro-Pakistan leanings should be part of the Punjab Congress.
He said that such people mocked all those who have shed blood for India. “I urge Harish Rawat, AICC Gen Secy in-charge Punjab, to seriously introspect that those who do not consider J&K to be a part of India and others who have ostensibly Pro-Pakistan leanings should be a part of Punjab Congress,” he tweeted.
CONG MP TEWARI FLAYS STATEMENT
Congress MP Manish Tewari urged the party to introspect on whether those who do not consider Jammu and Kashmir as a part of India and have pro-Pakistan leanings should be part of its Punjab unit, in a swipe at two advisers of Navjot Singh Sidhu. In a tweet, Tewari said, "I urge Harish Rawat, AICC Gen Secy in-charge Punjab to seriously introspect that those who do not consider J&K to be a part of India and others who have ostensibly Pro-Pakistan leanings should be a part of Punjab Congress."
BOOK SIDHU AND HIS TEAM ON CHARGES OF TREASON: MAJITHIA
Asking Congress national president Sonia Gandhi and senior leader Rahul Gandhi to tell people of the country whether they agreed with the anti-India propaganda of Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu’s office, Sad on Monday demanded registration of a case of treason against him and his team.
“It’s shocking to see that on a day when India was celebrating its Independence Day, statements against the nation were being issued from the PPCC office...It is shocking that the PPCC president’s office is maintaining that Kashmir is a country of Kashmiris, that India had annexed part of it by force and that Kashmiris are not part of India,” said Majithia.
Majithia said that it appeared that these kinds of statements from the PPCC office were emerging only because of the close association of the PPCC president with Pak Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa. “It seems that the PPCC office is implementing Gen Bajwa’s agenda with regards to India, particularly Kashmir,” he said.
Asking Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh that only lip service would not work, Majithia said that if Capt Amarinder was not in agreement with the PPCC president’s office statements, then he should order registration of cases against PPCC president and his team. “If Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi also differed with Sidhu and his team, they should immediately remove him from his post without any delay,” he said.
GANDHI FAMILY SHOULD CLARIFY ITS STAND ON KASHMIR ISSUE: CHEEMA
Chandigarh: AAP’s Punjab senior leader and the Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday said that controversial remarks being made by Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu through his advisers about Kashmir and Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi should make their stand clear on this. He asked, “Does the Gandhi family also accept the Indian occupation of Kashmir?” Cheema alleged that such unnecessary and irresponsible statements about Kashmir, instead of innumerable important issues related to Punjab and its people, were a deliberate conspiracy of the Congress and Navjot Sidhu.
SIDHU'S ADVISORS ARE PAK AGENTS, SHOULD BE BOOKED FOR TREASON: CHUGH
BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh on Monday said that Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu’s advisors were reciting the script that has come to them from Pakistan. “Sidhu’s advisors are saying that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Pakistan Army chief Gen QJ Bajwa have been telling India...It is a painful reminder of the events during which Sidhu had hugged the Pakistan Army chief when Imran Khan became the Prime Minister of Pakistan,” he said.