Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) minority morcha leader Aftab Advani on Saturday demanded ‘capital punishment’ for Congress’ Navjot Singh Sidhu for hugging Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa during the swearing-in ceremony of Imran Khan as that country’s prime minister.
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.
Speaking about his hug with Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, the Congress leader 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."
Ghulam Ahmed Mir, Jammu and Kashmir’s Congress chief said that Sidhu ought to have avoided sitting next to the PoK president. He was quoted saying by ANI: “He is a responsible person and a minister. Only he can answer, but yes he could have avoided this.”
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.
On Saturday, political parties including the BJP and Congress criticised Congress MP and Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu for hugging the Pak Army chief and sitting next to PoK president Masood Khan at Imran Khan’s oath-taking ceremony.
