Hardeep Singh Puri says Sidhu's advisors 'drawing inspiration' from 'Jhappi-Pappi' address

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas and Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri said on Monday, August 23, the stunning claims made by Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu's advisors are inspired by his "Jhappi-Pappi" address at the launching of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor in 2019.

This comes after Malwinder Singh Mali and Dr Pyare Lal Garg, Sidhu's advisors, made remarks in support of Pakistan as well as a contentious declaration about Kashmir.

Hardeep Singh Puri on Sidhu's advisor's remark

Puri took to Twitter to share a video of Sidhu's address, in which he can be heard praising his close ally Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, and commented, "One wonders if Mr Sidhu's advisers who have now made astounding statements on Kashmir have drawn inspiration from the Japphi-Pappi speech at the opening of Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on 9 Nov 2019 in which Mr Sidhu extolled the virtues of his friend PM Imran Khan!"

Attacking Congress leader Sidhu, he stated that "Japphi-Pappi politics does not work." "Time for Mr Sidhu and Congress Party to introspect their stand on developments in our neighbourhood. They clearly have no understanding of the current political & security situation in our volatile neighbourhood. Japphi-Pappi politics doesn't work," he added.

Navjot Singh Sidhu's advisor's remark 

After the remarks provoked outrage, Sidhu invited his advisors to his Punjab residence on Monday to discuss the issue. Garg questioned Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's criticism of Pakistan, while Mali said something controversial about Kashmir. Mali also used social media to share an offensive poster of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Many Congress officials, including Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, criticised the two advisors, saying their remarks were completely wrong and antagonistic to India's and the Congress's stated policy on Pakistan and Kashmir.

Earlier in the day, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Daljit Singh Cheema slammed Sidhu, claiming that the PPCC president was friendly with Pakistan's Prime Minister and Army Chief and that his advisors were simply following suit.

(with inputs from ANI)

Picture Credit: PTI