Punjab ministers, MLA demand action against Sidhu's aides

Chandigarh, Aug 24 (IANS) Taking strong exception to the patently anti-national and pro-Pak comments of two of Navjot Singh Sidhu's aides, a group of Punjab Congress ministers and MLA on Tuesday called for strong action under the law against Malwinder Mali and Pyare Lal Garg.

The statements of both these newly appointed advisors of Punjab Congress president Sidhu were clearly against India's interests, and detrimental to national security, said ministers Brahm Mohindra, Vijay Inder Singla, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Balbir Singh Sidhu and Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, along with MLA Raj Kumar Verka.

Besides stringent legal action against them, they also urged the Congress national leadership to direct Sidhu to immediately rein in his aides in the interest of the party as well as the country.

"The Congress has made many sacrifices for the protection of the nation's security and peace, as have our soldiers at the borders. Nobody can or should be allowed to undermine these sacrifices and jeopardise the safety of our country and its people," they emphasised, citing, in particular, the grave implications such statements could have for the border state of Punjab.

The Congress leaders also questioned Sidhu's failure to put his foot down on such an anti-national and pro-Pak diatribe by his close aides, despite the uproar it has triggered across party lines.

They said Sidhu's omission in this regard had given ammunition to the Opposition parties, who were quick to recall the PPCC president's own bonhomie with the Pakistan Prime Minister and Army chief, warning against the damage this could cause to the Congress in the run-up to the 2022 Punjab Assembly polls, which are due in less than six months.

In a statement, the Congress leaders termed Mali's statement on Kashmir a dangerous and unacceptable deviation from India's stated position on Jammu and Kashmir. By questioning the unanimous 1994 resolution of the Parliament of India declaring Jammu and Kashmir as an integral part of India (which was reiterated in 2012), Mali had blatantly toed the line of Pakistan, which had been trying to stake claim to the region and was in illegal occupation of certain areas, such as PoK, they added.

Even Garg's statement countering Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's criticism of Pakistan reflected strong pro-Pak leanings, they said, adding that anyone not condemning the continuous efforts from across the border to destabilise Punjab and India was playing into the hands of the enemy.

"Drones from Pakistan are dumping arms and drugs into Punjab almost every day. Our soldiers are dying at the border. How can any patriotic Indian not condemn Pak actions in the circumstances?" they asked.

Such comments, if not punished, had the potential of becoming a deadly precursor to more anti-national statements, promoted by forces inimical to the interests of India, they warned, citing the continuous threat from across the border to India's peace and integrity.

The Punjab Congress leaders also condemned Mali for posting a controversial and highly objectionable sketch of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, terming it another instance of his anti-party stance.