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Cong MP Tewari slams Sidhu’s two advisers as controversy over Kashmir, Pak remarks snowballs; duo remains defiant
Congress’ Punjab affairs in-charge Harish Rawat hints at action ; Sidhu holds meeting with the two advisers at his Patiala residence amid mounting pressure
The wrangling in Punjab Congress over controversial remarks of the two newly appointed advisers of state chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Kashmir and Pakistan snowballed on Monday with party’s Anandpur Sahib MP Manish Tewari coming down heavily on the duo and Punjab affairs in-charge Harish Rawat hinting at a strict action against them.
The two advisers, Malvinder Singh Mali and Pyare Lal Garg, however, remained defiant, saying their remarks were “final”.
Slamming the duo, Tewari tweeted: “I urge Harish Rawat, AICC general secretary and in-charge of Punjab affairs, to seriously introspect that those who don’t consider J&K to be a part of India and also have pro-Pakistan leanings should be a part of Punjab Congress. He said such people mock all those who have shed blood for India.
Tewari’s tweet came a day after chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh described the remarks by Sidhu’s advisers as “atrocious, ill-conceived and potentially dangerous to the peace and stability of the state and the country.”
Sidhu on August 11 had appointed Mali, a former government teacher and political analyst, and Garg, a former registrar of Baba Farid University of Health and Sciences, as his advisers to seek their “wise counsel.” In a recent social media post, Mali had reportedly said if Kashmir was a part of India, then what was the need to have Articles 370 and 35A. He had also said, “Kashmir is a country of Kashmiri people.”
Garg had reportedly questioned the chief minister’s criticism of Pakistan.
Rawat hinted at taking a “strict action” against Mali, saying: “I would like to clarify on behalf of the party that J&K is an integral part of India. Nobody has the right to cast doubt on its status, let alone issuing a statement.”
Also, he warned of action over a sketch of Indira Gandhi posted by Mali on Facebook wherein she is seen standing near a heap of human skulls with a gun in her hand.
“She was one of the most popular leaders, a mother figure to us. If somebody insults her, we condemn it. Action will be taken if this is proven”, he added.
Amid mounting pressure, Sidhu held a marathon meeting with Mali and Garg at his Patiala residence. “Some political leaders and parties have started issuing ‘fatwa’ against me instead of initiating a dialogue. Dialogue is the best option to resolve issues,” Mali said after the meeting. Garg defended his statements critical of the CM, saying he was not a party worker, and only an adviser to Sidhu, and thus has the liberty to speak in his personal capacity on every issue. “When a government does good work, we appreciate it. But if it performs badly, we criticise it,” he added. Sidhu wasn’t available for his comments.
