Former cricketer turned commentator turned politician turned reality show contestant turned comedy show judge Navjot Singh Sidhu is again in the spotlight after he posted his resignation letter from Punjab cabinet addressed to Congress president on Twitter. However, for Sidhu, this spotlight is not new and has stayed with him through the course of his volatile political career be his blatant political u-turns or his mingling with extremists and Pakistani military establishment.
My letter to the Congress President Shri. Rahul Gandhi Ji, submitted on 10 June 2019. pic.twitter.com/WS3yYwmnPl
— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) July 14, 2019
Today I have sent my resignation to the Chief Minister Punjab, has been delivered at his official residence…
— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) July 15, 2019
For Sidhu who started his political innings with the BJP, his career took a major turn, when on 18th July 2016, he quit the saffron party looking ahead at seemingly greater political prospects in the upcoming state assembly elections in Punjab scheduled in early 2017. After a small stint in Aawaaz-e-Punjab, a political front started by Sidhu along with Pargat Singh and Bains brothers, Sidhu just before the state assembly polls in January 2017 joined Congress. This move to the grand old party marked the beginning of a downward trend which not only eroded his political credibility but also gave a striking example of political greed coming into play against interests of the nation.
Contesting from Amritsar East in the 2017 Punjab Assembly elections, he won the election by a margin of 42,809 votes and was later sworn in as a cabinet minister in Captain Amarinder Singh government for which he would later go on to quit following an episode of ugly infighting within the Punjab Congress.
In between the two milestones of him joining the grand old party and quitting the ministerial position Navjot Singh Sidhu found himself in the centre of serious controversies which further eroded his credibility as an efficient and ethical leader.
Sidhu was once a staunch critic of Gandhi family, however as he changed ships to the grand old party his views or at least his words for the Gandhi family and other senior members of the party also changed. Praising Rahul Gandhi, Sidhu claimed Rahul Gandhi to be the “man of the series” and also pitched for “Rahul Gandhi to become the next PM”. Sidhu had earlier also called Manmohan Singh “a pappu PM” and that he may be a “sardar” but he was not “asardar”. But later he made a u-turn on his remarks and said Manmohan Singh to be “a Sardar and also Asardar (effective)“. Akali Dal leader Manjit Singh GK had also pointed out the change in Sidhu’s attitude and said, “Sidhu used to call Sonia Ji ‘Italian mummy’ and now he touches her feet”.
In the month of August, Sidhu had attended Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s oath-taking ceremony, even though it was boycotted by others in India. At the ceremony, he was seen exchanging pleasantries with Pakistani Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and even hugged him. In November 28, 2018, during the inauguration of Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, Navjot Singh Sidhu transgressed all lines of political greed and was seen essentially praising the same Pakistani leadership which is responsible for deaths of 1000s of innocent Indian deaths and destabilizing the Kashmir region for long.
However, Sidhu did not stop at that and further went on to make controversial and insensitive comments on the Pulwama terror attack which saw 44 brave soldiers losing lives at the hands of Pakistan based terror organizations Jaish-e-Mohammad and said “terrorism has no religion, no nation” essentially absolving Pakistan of its role in the heinous terror attack. Referring to the Balakot airstrikes, Sidhu stated, “Were you uprooting terrorists or trees? Was it an election gimmick?”
What followed was Navjot Sidhu’s political ambitions taking the face of an internal rift with Punjab CM and Senior Congressman Captain Amarinder Singh. In fact, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh called him out openly last August, when Sidhu was seen hugging the Pakistan Army chief Bajwa during Imran Khan’s oath-taking ceremony in Islamabad. Amarinder Singh had reacted by saying, “I’m against it… The man should understand that our soldiers are getting killed.”
As the rift continued, Navjot Sidhu’s wife Navjot Kaur also accused Amarinder Singh of creating roadblocks for her candidature in the 2019 general elections. Navjot Kaur’s name also figured in the Amritsar train tragedy however Sidhu remained silent.
Punjab CM: I have never opposed Mrs Sidhu,in fact I was the one who recommended to Rahul Ji that she contests from Bathinda. It was Sidhu who said that his wife will not contest from Bathinda but from Chandigarh. So it was not for him to decide this, party decides these things. pic.twitter.com/rteRFvWHZy
— ANI (@ANI) July 15, 2019
The difference of opinion between the two Congress leaders has been evident on various occasions. After his visit to Pakistan, Sidhu had said that Rahul Gandhi was his captain while Amarinder was an army captain. This was a direct insult to Punjab CM and also inappropriate for a leader who presides over the cabinet Navjot Singh Sidhu is a part of. In regard to this statement, many Congress leaders had asked Sidhu’s resignation from the Punjab cabinet. Trying to shield himself by his sycophantic praise for Rahul Gandhi, Navjot Singh Sidhu ultimately met his political karma as after continuous resistance from within the Congress he tendered his resignation from the Punjab Cabinet.
Punjab CM: I have never opposed Mrs Sidhu,in fact I was the one who recommended to Rahul Ji that she contests from Bathinda. It was Sidhu who said that his wife will not contest from Bathinda but from Chandigarh. So it was not for him to decide this, party decides these things. pic.twitter.com/rteRFvWHZy
— ANI (@ANI) July 15, 2019
For a man, well-liked for his quirky personality and who had a bright political career ahead of him, Sidhu by his actions over past couple of years has surely missed his out on his priorities and his now after an unceremonious and disgraceful exit from the Punjab cabinet he has surly accelerated his journey on the path of Political oblivion.
