JOIN US'Congress is dying': Navjot Singh Sidhu's remark sparks fresh row
Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was instrumental in the ouster of former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, has once again become a reason of embarrassment for Congress as a purported video of him criticising the party has gone viral on social media.
The video reportedly shows Sidhu's close aide and Punjab Sports Minister Pargat Singh pacifying him saying that Chief Minister Channi would join them on their protest march from Punjab to Lakhimpur Kheri soon.
Sidhu on Thursday led a march to Lakhimpur in protest against the killing of farmers. A large number of party leaders including ministers, legislators and workers assembled first at Mohali and then headed towards Lakhimpur Kheri in their vehicles. Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi also joined Sidhu for a brief period when the march was about to start.
According to reports, when Punjab Congress working president Sukhwinder Singh Danny told Sidhu the protest would be successful, the latter replied, "Where is the success? If Bhagwant Sidhu's son (a reference to his father) was allowed to lead, then you would have seen... Congress is in a dying stage..."
Sidhu had resigned from the post of Punjab Congress chief on September 28 but it wasn't immediately clear if the resignation was withdrawn.
Alleging that the former cricketer harboured the ambition of becoming a chief minister, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Friday said that he was jealous that a member of the Scheduled Caste community had become the Punjab Chief Minister.
SAD vice president Daljit Singh Cheema alleged, "Sidhu had also shown how much respect he has for the SC community and CM Charanjit Singh Channi by refusing to wait for even two minutes for the latter to arrive on the occasion of the start of the party's protest on the Lakhimpur Kheri incident issue."
Cheema was referring to the video which was purportedly shot while Sidhu, who was accompanied by Punjab Ministers Vijay Inder Singla, Pargat Singh and other leaders, were waiting for Chief Minister Channi to arrive.
The SAD leader quoted the contents of the purported video in which Sidhu is heard making some comments.
The authenticity of the video could not be verified and there was no comment from Sidhu on it so far.
The SAD leader said, "It is clear from Sidhu's utterances that he has no love lost for farmers and their cause and that he was only indulging in a game of one-upmanship to secure the top post in the state".
"Such persons who keep their own ambition above the welfare of the people cannot give any direction to the state. They stand thoroughly exposed," Cheema said.
Sidhu on Friday began a fast in Lakhimpur Kheri, declaring that he would continue it till Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra’s son was not arrested.
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(With PTI inputs)
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