The last rites of Punjabi singer and Congress leader Sidhu Moosewala was performed at his native village Moosa with huge crowds gathering at the site. (Express Photo)The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Tuesday came under fresh fire from opposition for not sending any minister or MLA to be a part of singer-poltician Sidhu Moosewala’s funeral even as the ruling party kept filing of nomination papers by its candidates for the Rajya Sabha seats a low key affair.
Only two Cabinet ministers Harpal Singh Cheema and Kuldip Singh Dhaliwal accompanied environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal and entrepreneur and social activist Vikramjit Singh Sahney as they filed their nomination papers for the two Rajya Sabha seats from Punjab.
“We wanted it to be a solemn occasion. That is why the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann did not accompany them,” a party leader said.
The CM had received Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Chandigarh Airport when he was on way to Shimla to address a programme to mark 8 years of the BJP government. Neither the state government nor AAP release any photographs of the meeting to the media.
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A government functionary, however, termed Mann receiving PM a a courtesy call. “The CM-PM meeting would not have taken place for more than five minutes. Maybe no photographs were clicked. There is nothing more to read in this,” the functionary said.
The party, however, came up for criticism as no prominent AAP leader participated in the funeral of Moosewala, who had contested this year’s Assembly election as Congress candidate from Mansa. State Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring camped at Moosewala’s house for two days. During the funeral, he was atop the vehicle carrying Moosewala’s body.
“The Congress had to be there. He was their leader,” said a political expert. He added that AAP’s local MLA Vijay Singla, who had won against Moosewala, was in jail after being accused of seeking kick-backs. “AAP could not have sent anyone as it is already on the defensive,” said the expert.
A government functionary said he was not aware why the CM did not send anyone on his behalf to attend the cremation. Usually, a minister is sent. “You ask the CM,” said the functionary. Warring, meanwhile, hit out at Mann.
“Shame on extreme insensitivity of the CM that he had no time to offer condolences to Moosewala’s parents on cremation. Moosewala was India’s global cultural icon. At least Bhagwant Mann, himself an artiste, should have shared grief with parents of a fellow artiste,” Warring said in a tweet.
Former AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhu said it was odd that at at last rites of Moosewala, who did Punjab immensely proud, “no one from AAP govt was there to bid farewell and console the inconsolable”. He said it was “necessary even it meant facing wrath of angry crowds”.
Punjab Lok Congress leader Pritpal Singh Baliawal asked Mann: “Kya tumhe dukh nhi hua (don’t you feel sad for him?”
“Why did no one from Punjab government attend the last rites of Moosewala who was killed because of your negligence. He is being mourned by the personalities worldwide but not by our own. Shameful,” he said in a tweet.
Meanwhile, Jagmeet Singh, leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party, in a tweet said, “I know many of us are feeling a lot of pain right now – the loss of Sidhu Moosewala as the wounds from the loss of Deep Sidhu remain fresh – is a heavy burden to carry. Both were known for their art. Their belief in community & desire to uplift their kaum will never be forgotten”.
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