New Delhi, November 30: Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Thursday downplayed the incident of getting a photo clicked with Pakistani pro-Khalistan separatist leader Gopal Singh Chawla which was posted by the latter on Facebook and soon went viral.
.@capt_amarinder declined to visit Pak bcos Pak supports anti-India & anti-Punjab activities; but his own Minister @sherryontopp goes agnst his wish & gets clickd with Gopal S Chawla; close aide of Hafiz Saeed & anti-India persn
Wud Captain Sahab sack his irresponsible Minister? pic.twitter.com/EUSb7PK8EJ
— Manjinder S Sirsa (@mssirsa) 29 November 2018
Downplaying the controversy, Sidhu said, “I got lot of love in Pakistan and everyday thousands of photos were clicked with people. How would I know who is Chawla or who is Cheema among them.”
The BJP also attacked Sidhu over the picture. BJP legislator in Delhi Manjinder Singh Sirsa, this morning, posted a series of tweets questioning Sidhu for the frame and asked him whether he cared for India’s sovereignty and Punjab’s peace.
Sirsa asked Punjab CM Amarinder Singh whether he would sack Sidhu for the move given Chawla’s open anti-India rants.
“@capt_amarinder declined to visit Pak bcos Pak supports anti-India & anti-Punjab activities; but his own Minister @sherryontopp goes against his wish and gets clicked with Gopal S Chawla, close aide of Hafiz Saeed and anti-India person. Would Captain Sahab sack his irresponsible Minister?” asked Sirsa.
Sirsa earlier said Pakistan was still keeping a double face on the matter.
“@ImranKhanPTI Sahab gives the message of peace in a function where Gopal S Chawla is invited as well. He is close to Hafiz Saeed & openly threatens India of violence.Why invite him in the first place if you have to clarify it later?” Sirsa tweeted.
It’s my dream to visit Sri Kartarpur Sahib, with which my family has very close links. My grandfather Maharaja Bhupinder Singh ji had undertaken sewa of the historic Gurdwara in 1923, after it was ravaged by floods. I hope to fulfil my dream once peace reigns. pic.twitter.com/kLAM9nqXin
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) 27 November 2018
The BJP leader said: “In fact, Gopal S Chawla is so unwanted a person in Pak that @OfficialDGISPR has issued a clarification tweet portraying his non-closeness with him. But @sherryontopp is proudly getting clicked with Gopal Singh. Has Sidhu got no care for the peace & sovereignty of Punjab & India?”
Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had declined the Pakistan invite for Kartarpur corridor event, while Sidhu had accepted it.
Meanwhile, Chawla had also stirred a controversy on Wednesday when he was present at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor and was seen shaking hands with Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
When asked, a Pakistani official said, Gopal Singh Chawla is a senior leader of Pakistan Sikh Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee (PSGPC), and he was invited to all events involving the Sikh community.
Singh is the general secretary of the PSGPC and is known as a pro-Khalistan voice.
He was seen shaking hands with the Pakistan Army chief. Several other pro-Khalistan leaders were also present at the event.
Sources said Singh was instrumental in denying access to Indian High Commission officials to two gurdwaras in Pakistan a few days back.
The officials had gone to the gurdwaras to meet Indian pilgrims. India had slammed Pakistan for refusing access to the pilgrims.
Tribune India
