After controversy erupted over Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu calling Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan "elder brother", Amit Malviya, the head of BJP IT Cell on Saturday alleged that Congress is using Sidhu to make remarks on Pakistan to appease minorities in India and get their votes.
"This is not the first time that Navjot Singh Sidhu has gone to Pakistan and patted or glorified the Prime Minister or the Army chief there. Somewhere, the Gandhi family is behind such statements because Sidhu himself has clarified that wherever he goes and whatever he says is done by him at the behest of Rahul Gandhi. Is Congress trying to deliver such statements on Pakistan through Sidhu in order to appease the minorities in the country?" Malviya told ANI.
"The way statements are being issued, it seems that Congress is trying to portray itself as pro-Pakistan to appease minorities in the country. It is unfortunate that they think that Indian Muslims are pro-Pakistan, but the truth is that Muslims of India are more attached to India. Some leaders of the party are making such statements repeatedly and trying to do politics to get their votes," he added.
In a video shared by Amit Malviya, Sidhu is seen being welcomed by a Pakistan official on behalf of Imran Khan.
"He (Imran Khan) is my elder brother," Sidhu is heard as saying.
On Sidhu's statements that the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor could be opened because of the efforts of PM Modi and Imran Khan, Malviya said that the corridor was opened only after India took the initiative.
"By saying that somewhere that Pakistan PM also made some efforts in this, work is being done to hurt the faith of devotees who have faith in Kartapur Sahib," he added.
Responding to Punjab Minister Pargat Singh's comments on Pakistan visits of PM Modi and Sidhu, Malviya said, "The Prime Minister and his government are equipped to deal with the foreign. Such statements by the Punjab Congress chief are motivated by politics and appeasement. He has no right to speak in such a way on foreign policy matters. Even if it is his personal opinion, using it for politics is just as wrong as embracing the chief of the army of a nation responsible for terrorism in our country."
Malviya further questioned Sidhu whether he wants to damage the national security and the state of Punjab by advocating for the opening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for cross-border trade.
"When Captain Amarinder Singh was the Chief Minister, he repeatedly said that illegal weapons and drugs are sent to Punjab via Pakistan. Now by demanding an open border, does Sidhu want Punjab to get ruined or the national security to be destroyed? The entire country and the world knows that Pakistan is a hub of terrorism. Does he want that terrorists enter freely in our country through Punjab from Pakistan?" he said.
Earlier Sidhu had said, "I request that if you want to change lives in Punjab, we should open the borders (for cross-border trade). Why should we go through Mundra Port, a total of 2,100 km? Why not from here, where it's only 21 km (to Pakistan)."
( With inputs from ANI )
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor