Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh criticized his cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu for embracing Pakistan Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa during Imran Khan’s swearing-in as Pakistan Prime Minister on Sunday.
“As far as hugging the Pakistan Army Chief is concerned I am not in its favor. It was wrong for him to have shown the affection towards the Pakistan Army Chief at a time when our soldiers are being martyred,” Singh said.
He further questioned the casualties due to firing from the Pakistani side of the border, “Whether the man who pulled the trigger is to be blamed or the man who gives the order? Who is the chief? The chief is General Bajwa.”
#WATCH: Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh reacts on #NavjotSinghSidhu hugging Pakistan Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa during Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s swearing-in ceremony yesterday, says ‘It was wrong for him to have shown the affection towards the Pakistan Army Chief’ pic.twitter.com/WcVSYcqGlN
— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2018
Everyday our jawans are getting martyred. To hug their Chief General Bajwa…I am against this. The fact is that the man should understand that our soldiers are being killed everyday: Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh on #NavjotSinghSidhu pic.twitter.com/VIZ6FVmlUb
— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2018
But 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: Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh on #NavjotSinghSidhu pic.twitter.com/RTMURObosP
— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2018
Meanwhile, Singh distanced himself from Sidhu’s decision to attend the ceremony, stating that the visit was made in his personal capacity. “As far as attending the swearing-in ceremony is concerned, he went there in his personal capacity so it has nothing to do with us. About him being seated next to the PoK President, maybe he (Sidhu) didn’t know who he was,” Singh said.
Earlier on Saturday, the BJP attacked the Congress, stating that his visit was “no less than a crime”.
“It is no less than a crime that a Congress member and cabinet minister in Punjab government went to Pakistan for the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Imran Khan and acted in a certain way,” BJP’s national spokesperson Sambit Patra said.
The BJP has also demanded Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s stance on Sidhu’s visit.
(With ANI Inputs)