Navjot Singh Sidhu marks political ‘resurrection’ with own YouTube channel Jittega Punjab
Fortnight after meeting Sonia, Priyanka, former minister takes to video-sharing platform “to air his views with the people of Punjab”; promises to be vocal on “burning issues” and propel state towards “revival, renaissance”
AMRITSAR: A fortnight after meeting party president Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, Punjab Congress MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu on Saturday launched his own YouTube channel, Jittega Punjab (Punjab Will Win).
In a press release issued here, he said he had taken to the video-sharing platform to “air and share his views with the people of Punjab in a simple and understandable form”.
Sidhu said his channel “invites all like-minded people for discussions, interviews and an exchange of views. It is a platform to propel Punjab towards revival and renaissance.”
Referring to his political hiatus, the release said, “After nine months of contemplation and self-renewal, the former minister, a four-term member of Parliament and Amritsar East MLA, will be vocal on the burning issues of Punjab. He will strive to carve out a concrete roadmap for the resurrection of Punjab as a welfare state.”
Striking a chord with the Sikh community, Sidhu said: “The channel is inspired by the path of universal brotherhood, tolerance, love and peace shown by (Sikhism founder) Baba Nanak.”
He appealed to the people of the state to join him and “be part of the resurrection”.
“The whole world is my country, all mankind my brethren, to do good my religion - Inspired Sidhuism,” he said on a philosophical note.
“The icons of the channel are Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Shaheed-E-Azam Bhagat Singh. They are the epitomes of our glorious past, good governance, courage, sacrifice and role models for our future generations,” he said.
The Jittega Punjab logo is inspired by Punjab’s state bird, the Northern Goshawk or ‘baaz’. The bird is known as a symbol of strength and tenacity.
MEETING CONGRESS HIGH COMMAND
Sidhu met Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka in Delhi to discuss the “revival of the state”.
“I was summoned to Delhi by the Congress high command and met Priyanka Gandhi for 40 minutes on February 25. The next day, I met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the general secretary at 10, Janpath, for more than an hour. I got a patient hearing and apprised them of the prevailing situation in Punjab along with the roadmap to the resurrection and revival of the state back to its pristine glory. I have persisted with conviction about this roadmap for the past many years in the Cabinet and public domain diligently,” he said in an email.
After resigning from the state cabinet on July 15, 2019, Sidhu was seen for the first time in public on November 9 when he was among the first all-party delegation of 500 pilgrims from India that reached Pakistan’s Kartarpur to pay obeisance at the shrine of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, after the opening of the historic corridor between the two countries.
DIFFERENCES WITH CAPTAIN
Sidhu, who used to swear loyalty to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, had to exit from the government after differences with Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh.
He had been at loggerheads with Capt Amarinder and formally resigned from his cabinet on July 14.
When Pakistan railway minister Sheikh Rashid said that the Kartarpur Corridor was the brainchild of their army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, the Punjab chief minister urged Sidhu to be more cautious in his dealings with the Imran Khan government. He advised Sidhu not to allow his personal friendship with the Pakistan prime minister to cloud his judgement in any way, as that could be harmful for India’s interests.
