CHANDIGARH: Punjab local bodies minister
Navjot Singh Sidhu targeted the BJP on Wednesday saying that his warm greeting with
Pakistan army chief during his visit to the neighbouring country was just a hug and not a Rafale deal. Reacting to criticism from
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president
Sukhbir Singh Badal and his union minister wife
Harsimrat Kaur Badal on the Kartarpur Sahib corridor, he exhorted the Badals to take the initiative to push the project and thus take its credit as well.
He asserted that his hug to Pakistan's army chief has been blown out of proportion. “Is a one-second hub hug, not a conspiracy. What is the big deal? I had gone there after taking due permissions. They should come to the relevant issue that what efforts will they make to make the corridor,” he said.
“When a cricket match is taking place between India and Pakistan, don’t players will not shake hands? Will you not shake hands? If Pakistan PM, who is a good man and had played several matches here, shakes hands with Indian team or hugs player like Virat (Kohli), will he show his back to him,” he said.
“Now, it’s the duty of the Government of India to write to Pakistan. Where is the ego in this to say that Pakistan should approach India first? I make a request that there should be no cheap politics on this issue,” he said.
“This is out of frustration that such cheap politics is being played out on such an important religious issue. I am surprised that they are troubled so much even after being reduced to 13 seats in the assembly,” he said, targeting the Akalis.
