Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday attacked Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu for hugging Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and sitting next to President of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) Masood Khan.
While addressing a press briefing, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, “It is no less than a crime that a Congress member and cabinet minister in Punjab government went to Pakistan for the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Imran Khan and acted in a certain way.”
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“Navjot Singh Sidhu is not just an individual but also a member of a political party and a cabinet minister in the Punjab government. The Congress needs to answer some serious questions in this regard. As per the protocol, Sidhu was not going to sit with PoK President. Initially, Masood Khan was sitting at the back but was later brought to the front and made to sit with Sidhu. Navjot must have known that this man is the alleged President of PoK. He should have objected from sitting next to him,” Patra added.
Further, on the Sidhu-Bajwa hug, Patra said, “Hugging General Bajwa is a bigger crime. General is known for the fact that his intervention has caused multiple deaths of innocents in India.”
सिद्धू जी ने अपनी प्रेस वार्ता में पाकिस्तान को संबोधित करते हुए कहा कि अगर मेरे रोम-रोम से भी सहस्त्रों जुबान निकलने लगे तो भी मैं पाकिस्तान का धन्यवाद नहीं कर सकता, सिद्धू जी किस चीज के लिए धन्यवाद देना चाहते हैं – हमारे देश में आतंक फैलाने के लिए या निर्दोषों को मारने के लिए। pic.twitter.com/3bf4OkItHu
— BJP (@BJP4India) August 18, 2018
जब हमारी सेना सर्जिकल स्ट्राइक करती है तो कांग्रेस साक्ष्य मांगती है लेकिन कांग्रेसी नेता पाकिस्तान के सेना प्रमुख को गले लगाते हैं। देश के सेना प्रमुख को सड़क का गुंडा बताते हैं लेकिन पाकिस्तान के सेना प्रमुख को सहस्त्र रोम छिद्रों से धन्यवाद देते हैं। वाह री कांग्रेस! pic.twitter.com/dmXj1ybRmd
— BJP (@BJP4India) August 18, 2018
Recalling statements made by some other Congress leaders in the past, the spokesperson said, “Salman Khurshid, one of the former minister and diplomat went to Pakistan on 13th November 2015 and said that Pakistan is working towards peace whereas India is hindering the process. On 17th November, Mani Shankar Aiyar gave an interview in Pakistan and asked for bringing down the Modi government. On 21st June 2018, Ghulam Nabi Azad also made a similar controversial statement by claiming that, ‘when Indian army tries to kill terrorists, it hardly kills one terrorist and eliminates 20 civilians’.”
Patra has also demanded Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s stance on Sidhu’s visit and asked him whether the Punjab cabinet minister would be sacked before his return to India. “We demand Rahul Gandhi to answer whether he granted permission to Navjot Singh Sidhu to go to Pakistan or not?” Patra asked.
Earlier today, Sidhu attended the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad and later addressed the media.
(With ANI Inputs)