SAD returns Sidhu fire, BJP ‘understands feelings’ of ally

Tuesday, 18/11/2014

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CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) finally came out with a stern reaction over BJP’s former Amritsar MP Navjot Singh Sidhu heaping “insults” at the coalition partner, and lodged a complaint with state BJP president Kamal Sharma on Monday for action against the cricketerturned-politician. So far, the BJP seems to agree with the SAD that Sidhu was out of line.

Sidhu, who remained unavailable for comment, came under attack in Amritsar, too, where revenue minister and SAD’s firebrand leader Bikram Singh Majithia broke his silence and dubbed Sidhu’s outbursts as “signs of frustration”. Also in Amritsar, BJP’s national general secretary and Union health minister JP Nadda termed the alliance “smooth” and said that Sidhu’s comments were “not the party’s view”: “Whatever Sidhu has said can be his personal view. I do not agree with him.”

In the latest shot, at a function in Ludhiana on Sunday, Sidhu had termed the rulers of Punjab as “dusht” (evil), and said the time had come when people should free the state from their clutches. While Sidhu had already been alleging discrimination with Amritsar when he was MP, ever since he was replaced by senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley as Lok Sabha candidate from Amritsar allegedly at the behest of Akalis, he has gone ballistic.

He was particularly severe during the Haryana poll campaign as he dubbed the SAD — which was partnering BJP’s rival Indian National Lok Dal — as “backstabbers” and obliquely blamed it for illegal sand mining and drug trade in Punjab. The Akalis had avoided reacting then.

On Monday, SAD spokesman Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, who is also the state’s education minister, spoke to Punjab BJP president Kamal Sharma and, referring to the remarks made by Sidhu as “intolerable”, asked the BJP to “tame” him.

When asked about the complaint, Kamal told HT over phone that he could understand the feelings of the SAD: “I will take up the matter with my high command for a final decision… Such utterances don’t help. In case he (Navjot Sidhu) has some differences with someone in the SAD, there are other ways to settle them.”

Dr Cheema reportedly told Kamal that Sidhu’s actions were “against the spirit of coalition dharma”. He also expressed surprise that even when the BJP high command in Delhi as well as in the state had clarified that “there is no issue between SAD and BJP”, there should be no reason for Sidhu to speak against the SAD leadership.

It needs mention that Sidhu’s wife, BJP MLA and chief parliamentary secretary Dr Navjot kaur Sidhu, recently said that whatever her husband had said during the Haryana poll campaign was “as per the brief given to him by the party high command”. Kamal denied this and even flayed Dr Sidhu.

JP Nadda also said on Monday that Sidhu’s statements were “not the party’s view”.