On May 23 (Sunday) Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh urged the BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) not to go ahead with the three-day planned protests in Patiala, as it would add to the surge of Covid-19 infection in the state. However, disregarding the chief minister, the controversial Congress senior leader Navjot Singh Sidhu has gone ahead to back the superspreader protests in Patiala.
Navjot Singh Sidhu on Tuesday hoisted a black flag at his residence in Patiala in support of protesting farmers. He took to Twitter to share a video of him and his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu hoisting the black flag on the terrace of his house in Patiala.
“Hoisting the Black Flag in Protest … Every Punjabi must support the Farmers !!” Tweeted Navjot Singh Sidhu.
Hoisting the Black Flag in Protest … Every Punjabi must support the Farmers !! pic.twitter.com/CQEP32O3az
— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) May 25, 2021
After hoisting the black flag, Sidhu provoked the farmers against the Central government’s three farm laws. Rehashing the blatant lies and misinformation his party leaders, especially Rahul Gandhi, has been spreading against these laws, Sidhu says that the farm laws are “black laws” or “kaale kanoon,” and would prove destructive for the poor farmers if implemented. Sidhu instigated the farmers of Punjab to continue their quest until the Central Government is forced to repeal the farm laws.
Interestingly, a day after Captain Amarinder Singh urged farmers to refrain from protesting, Navjot Singh Sidhu had taken to Twitter to inform that he would be hoisting a black flag to express his support for the farmers protest at both his houses in Amritsar and Patiala. “Request everyone to do the same, until we have either repealed the #BlackLaws or provide an alternative method of assured MSP & procurement through State Government”, had Tweeted Sidhu.
Will hoist the Black Flag in support of #FarmersProtest at both my houses (Amritsar & Patiala) 9:30 AM tomorrow … Request everyone to do the same, until we have either repealed the #BlackLaws or provide an alternative method of assured MSP & procurement through State Government pic.twitter.com/MEyr2eK5Jw
— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) May 24, 2021
It may be recalled that the anti-farm law protesters intend to mark May 26 as a ‘Black Day’.
Punjab CM requests not to carry out 3-day superspreader protest, BKU rejects plea
On May 23, the Punjab CM had urged the BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) not to go ahead with the three-day planned protests in Patiala. Covid cases and deaths are seeing a massive surge in Punjab and there are several reports stating that farmer protests are acting as superspreader events.
However, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) has outrightly rejected the plea saying not just the Centre but the state is equally responsible for the miseries of farmers and inability to contain the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Visibly upset with the unwarranted action of the protesting farmers, Amarinder suggested that after the state offered unwavering support to the farmers, the same should be reciprocated by the BKU “to support the state government in the fight against the pandemic.”
Captain Amarinder stressed on the fact that the farmers’ group should not act irresponsibly and jeopardise the lives of their people with their reckless behaviour amid the pandemic. He also reminded that there is a complete ban in the state on all gatherings and any violation would be highly detrimental to the interests of Punjab.
However, considering the embittered relationship the two ministers have been sharing for the last few years, it is not surprising that Navjot Singh Sidhu paid no heed to Captain Amarinder Singh’s appeal and went ahead to back the three-day planned superspreader protests in Patiala.
Why is Captain Amarinder Singh in loggerheads with Navjot Singh Sidhu
For the uninitiated, things went sour between Captain Amarinder Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu when despite Captain’s advise Navjot Singh Sidhu had visited Pakistan on Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s invite for the Kartarpur groundbreaking ceremony. The ever-increasing rift between the Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu and Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh widened further after Sidhu’s wife Navjot Kaur asserted that Captain denied her Lok sabha ticket to fight elections. Singh had then refuted the allegations claiming she was offered to fight elections from Bhatinda or Amritsar but it was her personal decision to not fight from both the seats.
The duo later patched up over an informal lunch, but the friendship didn’t last long with Sidhu once again attacking the CM again after the Punjab & Haryana HC quashed the SIT probe into the 2015 firing cases on April 9. Sidhu has launched a fresh attack on the Badals as well over the sacrilege case.
Breaking his silence on Sidhu’s attacks, Singh on April 27 has challenged him to contest from Patiala in the 2022 polls. Sure of his win, Singh has predicted that Sidhu will lose his deposit.