Sidhu tries to bite more than he can chew

Tuesday, 21/05/2019

https://www.brightpunjabexpress.com/index.php/2019/05/20/sidhu-tries-to-bite-more-than-he-can-chew/

This is one ‘friendly match’ that the local bodies minister in the Punjab government Navjot Singh Sidhu will wish that he never wanted to play. The cricketer turned politician appears to have tried to bite more than he can chew. With the result he is faced with strong criticism from everyone in the Congress, starting from the Chief Minister and other ministers, who at one time were considered very close to him, like Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa. Earlier, the confrontation between Sidhu and the Chief Minister was subtle and hidden. However, after Sidhu went little far by referring to “friendly match” during a campaign speech in Bathinda in favour of the party candidate Amarinder Raja Warring, the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues felt that enough is enough and they started snubbing him publicly and unequivocally. Sidhu’s criticism of his own government, right before the elections, that the state government had failed to act against those who were responsible for the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib in 2015 has only embarrassed the government. Sidhu did not stop there. He said, a “friendly match” was being played in Punjab politics. The reference was obvious to the baseless rumours about the alleged understanding between the Chief Minister and the Badal family. This is a theory propounded by the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in an attempt to discredit both the Akali Dal and the Congress.

Kejriwal has been alleging that Sukhbir Badal and Capt Amarinder had entered a pact to ensure that their wives won from their respective parliamentary constituencies of Bathinda and Patiala. This is not the first jibe against the Chief Minister that Sidhu has used in the last few days. He also made an indirect reference to Captain Amarinder’s statement that he would resign if the Congress does not perform well in the state. He said that “someone will resign” if the Congress does not do well in the state but he himself would not hesitate to resign if the sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib is not avenged. Sidhu also virtually accused the CM of lying when he supported his wife’s statement that the CM had denied her a ticket from Amritsar. The Chief Minister described Navjot Kaur’s claims as “absolute nonsense”, While Sidhu went on to defend his wife by saying that she had great moral courage and that she never lies. The latest knock in this match has now come from the CM himself, who has accused Sidhu of damaging the prospects of the Congress in the polls with his ill- timed comments and for being ambitious to become the CM of Punjab. He also said that it was up to the high command to take action against Sidhu as the party does not tolerate indiscipline. While the political opponents of the Congress are celebrating an imminent civil war that is in the offing within the government, the party (Congress) leaders are intrigued over the off and on bouncers, Sidhu is trying to throw at the Chief Minister. Particularly when everybody knows how powerful and strong Capt Amarinder is considered in the party hierarchy and how close he is to the party president Rahul Gandhi.

Punjab Politics News

Punjab General News

RANA GURJIT SINGH INAUGURATES MARKFED SALES BOOTH AT LOHIAN

Thursday, 01/08/2019

https://www.brightpunjabexpress.com/index.php/2019/07/31/rana-gurjit-singh-inaugurates-markfed-sales-booth-at-lohian/

Jalandhar : In a major step to boost the rural economy besides providing employment to youth in villages, MARKFED has launched a sale booth in Lohian, which would, provides more than 100 eatable items.

 

NRI NEWS

Indian-Americans urge Trump to ‘fully support’ India on Kashmir

Sunday, 04/08/2019

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/diaspora/indian-americans-urge-trump-to-fully-support-india-on-kashmir/813832.html

Washington : The Indian-American community in the US has urged the Trump administration to “fully support” India’s decision to revoke the constitutional provision that accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir and to continue to exert pressure on Pakistan to end its support to cross-border terrorism.