Congress divided over Navjot Singh Sidhu’s Pakistan love

The Congress seems to be facing an internal fight over Navjot Singh Sidhu’s bizarre and insensitive remarks about the dastardly terror attack on the CRPF convoy in Pulwama. At a time, when the entire nation is in a state of shock over the martyrdom of more than 40 CRPF soldiers, Sidhu finds himself unable to resist defending the country that he loves with all his heart, Pakistan. Sidhu went on to claim that no country can be blamed for terrorism and thus he appears to have issued a clean chit to Pakistan.

Sidhu’s comments naturally invited severe criticism. Sidhu who is a cabinet minister in the Punjab government has faced a backlash in the past as well for his pro-Pakistan attitude. However, for reasons best known to the Congress and the Punjab CM Amarinder Singh, Sidhu has been given a long rope. But now it seems that sentiment against Sidhu is growing within the grand old party. While the Punjab CM came to the defense of Sidhu, Digvijaya Singh took a jibe at Navjot Singh Sidhu on his Twitter handle.

Punjab CM, Amarinder Singh gave a weird justification for Sidhu’s pro-Pakistan remarks following the Pulwama attack. Singh said that everyone has the right to speak their mind and it was up to Sidhu to take a stand. Singh said, “Sidhu was a cricketer while I was a soldier, and both have different viewpoints on things.” Punjab CM also said, “Sidhu does not understand the defence intricacies and had possibly reacted out of friendly motive.” Amarinder Singh, then added, that Sidhu’s “intentions were surely not anti-national and he must have got the message”. Amarinder Singh’s stance on the issue appears to be a naïve attempt at justifying the insensitive stand taken by Sidhu over the Pulwama attack. No one is disputing the fact that everyone has the Freedom of speech. But one should also understand that this right should not be misused so as to take a stand against the national interest and the sentiments of the security forces. The argument that Sidhu was a cricketer and not a soldier, and therefore, does not understand defense intricacies is even more disgusting. It doesn’t take much intellect to understand that Pakistan is the hotbed of terrorism and responsible for repeated terror attacks in Kashmir. Amarinder Singh, therefore, used bizarre arguments to defend an indefensible Sidhu.

In what can be termed as a dig at Sidhu’s proximity with Pakistan PM Imran Khan, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh tweeted, “Navjot Singh Sidhu ji apne Dost Imran Bhai ko samjhaiye. (Navjot Singh, please make your friend Imran Khan understand).” Therefore, on one hand, the Punjab CM has defended Sidhu in a bizarre manner and on the other hand, Digvijaya seems to be taking a clever dig at the Punjab Minister.

The difference in opinion within Congress over Sidhu’s pro-Pakistan attitude is apparent. Some elements must have understood that Sidhu’s comments are bound to create an uproar and the Grand Old Party must get rid of the pro-Pakistan leader in order to avoid a severe outrage.