A day after the letter by All India Congress Committee (AICC) Punjab affairs in-charge Harish Chaudhary’s to party president Sonia Gandhi, seeking disciplinary action against Navjot Singh Sidhu for trying to “portray himself above the party”, the former state unit chief went about his public activities as usual but evaded queries on the move against him.
Also read: Now, Congress bosses mull action against Sidhu for ‘anti-party’ acts
Chaudhary, who also forwarded a detailed note of Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring regarding Sidhu’s “current activities”, noted in the letter dated April 23 that Sidhu relentlessly criticised the previous Congress government despite being asked not to do so. “Ma’am president, Shri Sidhu cannot be allowed to portray himself above the party and to set an example for others to breach the party discipline. It is, therefore, recommended that an explanation must be sought from Shri Sidhu on why disciplinary proceedings should not be initiated against him,” wrote Chaudhary. He observed that Sidhu criticised the functioning of the Congress government terming it corrupt and hand in glove with the Shiromani Akali Dal. He also cited the installation ceremony of Amarinder Singh Raja Warring as the Punjab Congress chief in which Sidhu came to the party office but did not share the stage with him.
On Tuesday, Sidhu, accompanied by former Batala MLA Ashwani Sekhri and former Amritsar North MLA Sunil Dutti, visited the Jahajgarh area of Amritsar, where trolleys carrying sand are sold out. After he completed making his point, mediapersons asked Sidhu about the action being taken against him, but he refused to comment on it. He evaded replying to questions on Monday night, too, during a candle-light march led by him to slam the AAP government over the recent Patiala violence.
{{/usCountry}}On Tuesday, Sidhu, accompanied by former Batala MLA Ashwani Sekhri and former Amritsar North MLA Sunil Dutti, visited the Jahajgarh area of Amritsar, where trolleys carrying sand are sold out. After he completed making his point, mediapersons asked Sidhu about the action being taken against him, but he refused to comment on it. He evaded replying to questions on Monday night, too, during a candle-light march led by him to slam the AAP government over the recent Patiala violence.
{{/usCountry}}The communication is learnt to have reached the Congress’ disciplinary committee, which is likely to take a call in the coming days.
Prior to this, another former Punjab Congress chief, Sunil Jakhar, was issued a show-cause notice by the disciplinary committee for his alleged anti-party activities.
Taking on the AAP government on the rising sand price issue, Sidhu tweeted, “Lack of policy, direction and complete inaction of @AamAadmiParty government is costing the common man heavily. The cost of #sand has trebled undert he AAP. Constructions have been halted and daily wage labourers have nowhere to go...”(sic.)
“Ad hoc & visionless policies of @PunjabGovtIndia reminds one of Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s rule. The AAP made bold claims, it’s now clear those were empty inside. Punjab’s economy is in a shambles, it is headed towards recession, The state debt is increasing multifold and construction activity at standstill(sic),” he added.