“Nations cannot be held responsible for the dastardly acts of terrorists. The terrorists do not have deen, mazhab (sect and religion),” Sidhu said. (Express File Photo)The Congress said Monday political leaders should air views in sync with the “public sentiment” and “thought process which is uppermost in the country”.
The statement comes after BJP and its allies called for Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu’s dismissal for his “utterances” in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack — the Congress leader had asked whether an entire nation, referring to Pakistan, can be blamed for a handful of people.
“Let me be very clear. There is, of course, complete freedom of speech in this country, but everybody, especially in public life, a worker or other wise, owes it to himself and to the nation to speak, act and express totally in sync with and in keeping with a feeling, a public sentiment, a thought process which is uppermost in this country. I don’t think any of us has that freedom to cross the limits of that feeling, that pubic sentiment, and that is a matter of self-imposed discipline and maturity which I am sure each one of us much and will practice,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi told reporters.
Singhvi was replying to questions on the controversy triggered by Sidhu’s remarks.
The Congress spokesperson said questions like how a civilian vehicle could travel near the CRPF convoy are legitimate questions and “legitimate matters of concern” but argued nobody should indulge in “blame game at this sensitive point”. He said the Centre must look into such issues and fix responsibility, which he hoped will happen.
The Congress also spoke out against intimidation and harassment of Kashmiri students being reported from many parts of the country.
