Advertisement

Updated January 25th, 2022 at 08:53 IST

Navjot Sidhu breaks silence on 'Pakistan sought reinstatement' charge; attacks Amarinder

Navjot Singh Sidhu dubbed Amarinder Singh a "spent cartridge" after the latter said that Pakistan PM Imran Khan asked for his inclusion in the Punjab Cabinet.

Reported by: Akhil Oka
Sidhu, Amarinder
Image: PTI | Image:self
Advertisement

In his first response to Amarinder Singh claiming that Pakistan PM Imran Khan asked for his reinstatement in the Punjab Cabinet, Navjot Singh Sidhu dubbed the ex-CM as a "spent cartridge". Addressing a press briefing in Chandigarh on Monday, the Punjab Congress president refused to make any further comment on a barrage of questions pertaining to this allegation. However, Congress' media in-charge for the Punjab elections Alka Lamba stressed that he would respond to the Punjab Lok Congress leader's claim in the next press conference.

Speaking to ANI later, Lamba alleged that Singh was forced to make these remarks. She opined, "He addressed the press conference in Delhi at BJP headquarters. So, you should understand that he was only the face, but the words belong to BJP because he has formed an alliance with it for the upcoming Assembly elections in Punjab". 

Amarinder Singh slams Navjot Sidhu

At a juncture when India-Pakistan ties have been strained owing to a spurt in cross-border terrorism, Navjot Sidhu has often come under fire for publicly describing Imran Khan as his "friend". While attending the swearing-in ceremony of Khan in Islamabad on August 18, 2018, the former swashbuckling batsman stoked a controversy by hugging Pakistani Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa. While Amarinder Singh has always been critical of Sidhu's Pakistan visits even when he was the CM and a part of Congress, he escalated the attack further by directly accusing the neighbouring country of meddling in the state's internal affairs.

On Monday, the former Punjab CM told the media, "I removed Mr.Sidhu from the job as the man was totally incompetent and incapable and totally useless in his job. He was looking after local self-government. He didn't complete one file for 70 days. I told him two-three times, that you can go elsewhere if you keep working like this. I told him that I can give you Power and you can take it. He said that I don't want Power, so I told him that you can leave my government. I don't want you in my government."

He added, "I got a message from Pakistan that the Prime Minister has sent a request that if you can take Sidhu into your Cabinet, I will be grateful as he is an old friend of mine. If he doesn't work, you can remove him". After stepping down on September 18, 2021, Singh had told Republic Media Network's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami in an exclusive interview that Sidhu is getting support from Pakistan.

The Punjab Lok Congress leader had alleged, "He's a friend of Imran Khan, I said to not go (to Pakistan), I was CM, he didn't listen. Then, he hugged Bajwa. Then he takes credit for Kartarpur. I asked why he hugged Bajwa when daily my Jawans were being killed at the border. He doesn't care, he's only interested in himself and his contacts in Pakistan."

Advertisement

Published January 25th, 2022 at 08:53 IST

Your Voice. Now Direct.

Send us your views, we’ll publish them. This section is moderated.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending Quicks

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Whatsapp logo