Punjab Congress Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday summoned both his advisors, Malwinder Singh Mali and Pyare Lal Garg, to his Patiala residence amid controversy over their recent comments on sensitive issues like Kashmir and Pakistan, reported NDTV.
According to reports, Navjot Singh Sidhu has summoned the two advisors to discuss their comments on Pakistan, Kashmir, and the controversial sketch of Indira Gandhi that Mali had posted on social media. Pyare Lal Garg and Malwinder Mali were appointed advisers by Navjot Singh Sidhu on August 11.
Sidhu's advisor Malwinder Singh Mali had kicked off a major controversy by posting a sketch of Indira Gandhi standing near heap skulls and holding. This is not the first time Mali is courting controversy.
In a recent social media post, Mali had waded into the issue of revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave a special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. He had reportedly said if Kashmir was a part of India, then what was the need to have Articles 370 and 35A.
Meanwhile, Pyare Lal Garg had questioned Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's criticism of Pakistan.
Taking a strong exception to the recent statements of Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu's two advisors on sensitive national issues, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday slammed them for making such "atrocious and ill-conceived" comments that were "potentially dangerous" to the peace and stability of the state and the country.
The Chief Minister urged Sidhu's advisors - Dr Pyare Lal Garg and Malwinder Singh Mali -- to stick to giving advice to the PPCC president and not speak on matters of which they clearly had little or no knowledge, and had no understanding of the implications of their comments, read the release from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).
Congress MP Manish Tewari on Monday slammed Punjab Congress Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu's advisors Dr Pyare Lal Garg and Malwinder Singh Mali for their comments on "sensitive national issues" like Kashmir and Pakistan.
Speaking to ANI, Tewari said that the unanimous resolution of Parliament of India in 1994 that was reiterated in 2012 declared Jammu and Kashmir as an integral part of India and the only unfinished business of Partition was to reclaim the areas occupied illegally by Pakistan like Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and northern areas.
"If someone is questioning this resolution, forget about the party, do such people even have the right to stay in the country?" he asked.
Earlier in the day, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit also condemned Sidhu's advisor Malwinder Singh Mali for posting a controversial sketch of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi saying that such actions were objectionable. He also advised Sidhu to distance himself from such advisors.
"You should not keep any political relations with such people. I have no objection if you want to have personal relations with them but such people cannot be a part of Congress," he said.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Daljit Singh Cheema also reacted to the poster controversy and took a dig at Sidhu.
"Who extended a hand of friendship towards Pakistan Prime Minister when the nation was against Pakistan? Who hugged Pakistan Army Chief? Navjot Singh Sidhu. When he's like that, why complain about his advisors," he said.
(With inputs from ANI and PTI)
