Chandigarh (Punjab): The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Sunday criticised Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu for violating protocols and writing letters directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani PM Imran Khan.
Speaking to ANI, SAD leader Daljeet Singh Cheema said, “As far as Kartarpur corridor is concerned, each and every Sikh wants that Kartarpur corridor should be completed at the earliest, Sidhu also wants the same, so we agree with him on that. But the way he is writing letters to Pakistan Prime Minister and Indian Prime Minister is little weird”. The former Punjab Education Minister said that being a cabinet minister, Sidhu is obliged to follow certain protocols, adding that if he has some suggestions, he should first write to the Chief Minister of the state, who will write about the matter to the Prime Minister, who will then take the issue forward at an international level.
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“But it seems that Sidhu does not have the habit of following protocols and he is more interested in sending his message to the media to show that he is the only person who is concerned about the Kartarpur corridor. It is not a good thing to violate the protocols,” Cheema said. Meanwhile, Congress leader and president of the party’s Punjab-unit Sunil Jakhar defended Sidhu’s move and said that the latter wrote in both nations’ interests.
“His letter is related to environment and to preserve the heritage and ecology of both the countries. He gave a wonderful suggestion of banning private mode of transport, I think no government will have any objection in implementing Sidhu’s suggestions,” Jakhar told ANI. Earlier in the day, Sidhu wrote letters to Prime Ministers of both India and Pakistan, suggesting measures to be taken up by the two countries “to preserve the sanctity of Kartarpur Sahib and Dera Baba Nanak Gurudwara Sahib.”
He suggested banning of new concrete structures around the revered sites and altering of any historical structure, barring personal transport, cultivation of food for langar on local lands, proper waste disposal systems, encouraging the use of local and traditional artifacts at nearby ‘bazaars’ refraining from ‘shopping complexes’ that sell fast-food or utilise plastic wares, and promotion of folk art.