How can soldier refuse job assigned by a general: Amarinder on Sidhu's resignation

CHANDIGARH: In a stern message to sulking Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh on Monday said "how can a soldier refuse to do the job assigned by a general?"
Amarinder Singh's reaction came after Sidhu took to Twitter to officially confirm that he had . On Sunday, Sidhu had from the state cabinet which he had sent to Rahul Gandhi on June 10.


Sidhu, who has been at loggerheads with Amarinder Singh, was in the cabinet reshuffle on June 6. Singh had divested Sidhu of the Local Government and Tourism and Cultural Affairs departments and allotted him the Power and New and Renewable Energy portfolio.
Amarinder, who was in Delhi, said he will take a call on Sidhu’s resignation only after going through it once he is back in Chandigarh.
“For Punjab, power is a critical portfolio as we need a minister to trade power with the national grid. It is a critical time - from June to October - when paddy season is on. 30% of Punjab has not received even one shower. How come out of 13, 12 have assumed office … Today, I am told that he has delivered the resignation to my house in Chandigarh. He never sent it to me till now. Let me go through the letter first,” said Amarinder.
Taking a strong view of Sidhu's move, Amarinder said, “There has to be some discipline in the organization. After seeing the performance of ministers, I decided to shift them around based on what I thought are the respective strengths of the individuals. In his case, I thought power is an important issue in Punjab, so I gave him the portfolio. But he said he did not want it. However, once a decision has been taken, you can’t say I will take this, I won’t take that.”
“If Sidhu doesn’t want to do the job, there is nothing I can do about it,” said Amarinder, questioning how a soldier could refuse a job assigned by the General. “It is like some General saying I am not going to get posted in Ladakh, send me to Manipur. It is your job to take it over,” he said.
On Sidhu’s former MLA wife Navjot Kaur’s charge that she was not allowed to contest Lok Sabha elections, Amarinder said, “I have never opposed (candidature of) Mrs Sidhu, I told Rahulji to make her contest from Bathinda. But Sidhu gave a public statement that she will contest from Chandigarh. It’s not for the Congress party to decide, not him.”
Asked if Sidhu had made any attempt at reconciliation, the chief minister said there was no need for it. “I do not have any issues with him. If Sidhu has any issues with me, you’ll have to ask him about them,” he added, in response to a question.
Amarinder, who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a ‘courtesy call’, told media persons that he had changed the departments of 13 ministers, including Sidhu, in the reshuffle of portfolios but of them only Sidhu has not taken charge of the power and renewable resources portfolio.

Meanwhile, Sidhu continued to remain incommunicado though there were indications that he may come to Chandigarh from Amritsar.
In Video:Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh slams Navjot Singh Sidhu, says 'he can't refuse portfolio'