Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said today he has no problems in Navjot Singh Sidhu continuing to work in television if allowed as per legal and Constitution provisions.
He said, but he may have Sidhu’s portfolio as Culture Minister changed in case of a conflict.
Sidhu is in the centre of a row over his working in a television serial despite being a Minister in Punjab. He has expressed willingness to continue in his TV serial, saying he has to earn a living for himself.
“I do not know the Constitutional position. We have asked the Advocate General (AG) of Punjab for an opinion. He has not yet looked at the file. Sidhu is a senior and intelligent man.
The question is whether it is proper for him to continue with the television show, he must have also asked some experts.
“If it is possible we have no objections. Sidhu can earn his keep the way he wants. However, since he is Minister for Culture also, we may then have to change his portfolio,” Singh told reporters when asked on the issue of propriety of his Cabinet colleague.
Singh said he had asked for advice from Punjab AG Atul Nanda, on whether Sidhu can legally be part of a TV show.
“It is his earning, everybody can run their businesses and earn their money if it is constitutionally and legally permissible,” the Punjab chief minister said.
Sidhu has said that he sees nothing wrong in continuing with his role in popular comedian Kapil Sharma’s show and said he cannot be a transporter like SAD leader Sukhbir Badal, and appeared on TV to run his family.
Taking a jibe at those raising questions, he said he failed to understand why they were “feeling pain in the stomach” when his voters do not have any problems with his being on TV.
“I cannot be a transporter like former deputy CM of Punjab Sukhbir Badal. I cannot be corrupt to mint money. I can’t ditch my people who voted me to power. I do TV shows to earn money to run my family and meet expenditure,” Sidhu, who holds the local bodies portfolio in Amarinder’s cabinet, said.
“Should I run a bus service like Sukbir Singh Badal? Or indulge in corruption? If I work four days a month, 7 PM to 6 AM, why are people getting a stomach ache?” .