Amid a row over Navjot Singh Sidhu hugging Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa at the swearing-in ceremony of Imran Khan, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday said 'he was not in favour' of Congress minister's action.
"As far as hugging the Pakistan Army Chief is concerned I am not in its favour. It was wrong for him to have shown the affection towards the Pakistan Army Chief," Singh was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Speaking about his hug with Pakistan Army Chief General Bajwa, Sidhu had said, "General Bajwa Sahab hugged me and said that it is time for peace. It is my dream as well. Today morning he came up to me and told me that the Pakistan government is thinking of opening a route in Katarpur to mark the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev."
A row has erupted over Sidhu's hug incident with political parties including the BJP and Congress criticised Congress MP and Punjab Minister.
Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) minority morcha leader Aftab Advani on Saturday demanded ‘capital punishment’ for Sidhu.
Accusing Sidhu of ‘treason’, Advani said that the cricketer-turned-politician’s move will never be forgotten and forgiven by the people of India. “Sidhu preferred to attend Imran Khan’s oath-taking ceremony over the funeral of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. There’s no place in this country for such people,” he added.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra wondered if Sidhu had taken permission from the Congress party before deciding to attend Imran Khan’s oath-taking ceremony and lambasted him for hugging the Pak Army Chief Bajwa.
Meanwhile, Haryana Minister Anil Vij termed Sidhu's participation in the ceremony as an "act of disloyalty" towards India which "will not be endorsed by any patriotic citizen" of the country.
