Prime Minister Modi addressed journalists today at a press conference held by BJP President Amit Shah at BJP Headquarters in Delhi. Shah elucidated the long list of achievements of the NDA government between 2014-19 and reiterated his belief that BJP will win a majority on its own this time around as well.
Amit Shah said, “BJP workers are confident of getting more than 300 seats in the elections, NDA will form government and Narendra Modi will again become Prime Minister of the country.” Shah also stated that, apart from Modi who addressed 142 rallies, he personally had visited 312 Lok Sabha constituencies, held 161 public meetings, took part in 18 roadshows and covered at least 1.58 lakh kilometers during the course of the election campaign.
Other prominent leaders who addressed a great number of public meetings were Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath with 135 rallies, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Phadnavis with 51 rallies and Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani with 86 of his own.
“The people of the country have decided that our government will be formed. I hope that the new government will start functioning at the earliest,” the Prime Minister said. “It will happen after a long time in the country, our Government will come to power with absolute majority for second consecutive time,” he added.
Narendra Modi also said that campaigning for the elections in 2019 was about expressing his gratitude towards the citizens of the country. He said, “For me, the elections were about expressing gratitude to the people of India. I have said thanks wherever I went. And I am here to thank you too. The journey we had started, we need the people’s blessing to move forward with it.”
“The election campaign was a success. In the last two elections, even the IPL couldn’t be held. When the government is strong, IPL, Ramzaan, school exams and others tend to take place peacefully,” the Prime Minister told reporters.
Amit Shah, for his part, remarked on the enthusiasm with which volunteers participated in the campaign. He said that slogans such as ‘Aayega to Modi hi’ were propagated by volunteers themselves and the BJP merely adopted it.
Amit Shah also took questions from the journalists present. As expected, questions about Sadhvi Pragya’s controversial comments on Godse and Gandhi were asked to the BJP President. Answering a question, Shah said, “We have issued a notice to the three leaders. These views are purely independent and have nothing to do with the party. We have sought a response and will initiate disciplinary action accordingly.”
Shah further stated that the Sadhvi’s candidature from Bhopal and her statements were two separate issues and should not be clubbed together. He asserted that giving her a ticket was BJP’s ‘Satyagraha’ against the Congress’ Hindu Terror narrative. Shah stated, “Pragya Thakur’s candidature is a ‘Satyagraha’ against a fake case of fake Bhagwa terror. I want to ask the Congress, some people were earlier arrested in the Samjhauta blast case who were related to the Lashkar-e-Toiba. A fake case of ‘bhagwa terror’ was made in which the accused have been acquitted.”
Amit Shah was also questioned on the allegations made by Mamata Banerjee against the BJP accusing the party of spreading violence. Shah said, “80 karyakartas of the BJP have died so far. What does Mamata Banerjee have to say about that? Who’s spreading violence? We are contesting elections all across the country, why doesn’t violence break out anywhere else? Mamata Banerjee is only contesting from West Bengal, why is violence happening only here?” He also criticised media for not questioning Mamata Banerjee for widespread violence in West Bengal.
Prime Minister Modi did not take any questions personally as it was a press conference of BJP president held at BJP headquarters. When a question was directed towards him, he passed the question to Amit Shah.
In 2019 general elections in India, BJP’s decision to field Sadhvi Pragya against senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh has created ripples in news circles. Sadhvi Pragya was accused in Malegaon bomb blast case and eyebrows were raised about the optics of party nominating a “terror accused”.
While some may be confounded by this decision, a brief walk through the history of the last twenty years in Indian politics may help understand the reasons for doing so.
It all began when Congress started creating the bogey of ‘Hindu terror’ as a political strategy soon after Sonia Gandhi taking over as its Party President in 1998. Shortly thereafter, they began to blindly blame RSS for every major law & order incident in order to portray them as extremists.
1984 – Violence against Sikhs
It was a known fact that in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi’s assassination, many Congress leaders led the mobs in violence against Sikhs. Congress leader Sajjan Kumar was convicted and eventually sentenced for life. Another Congress leader Jagdish Tytler was named by CBI for leading the violent mobs. Congress leader Kamal Nath was also accused of leading such mobs. He has now been made the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.
Yet in 1999, Manmohan Singh of Congress blamed RSS for those riots and also mentioned that Congress “had no role in it”
2002 – Riots in Gujarat
Narendra Modi as the Chief Minister of the state was blamed for not controlling the riots based on the testimony by one police officer – IPS Sanjiv Bhatt. He testified to have attended a meeting where Modi asked Police to look the other way during riots and “let Hindus vent their anger”
However, the Supreme Court appointed SIT team uncovered the following details –
All bureaucrats and senior police officials (including Director General of Police and Police Commissioner) denied the above and testified that Bhatt was not even present in the said meeting (he was too junior to be invited)
Bhatt had testified his driver taking him to the meeting, but the driver was not even present in Gujarat on those dates. Later the driver was taken to Congress legal cell and pressured to support Bhatt’s testimony
Bhatt’s several other connections with Congress were uncovered. Bhatt had exchanged many emails with a Gujarat Congress leader, he was tutored by Congress legal cell and Bhatt’s wife contested election on Congress ticket
One of the most direct evidence of Bhatt colluding with Congress was an email where he wrote he would “take it up with someone in the party” and get “suitably instructed”
The Supreme Court’s verdict stated that Sanjiv Bhatt had “not come to the Court with clean hands“, was “not acting bona fide, was catering to the interest elsewhere” and had “acted in deliberation and consultation with the leaders of the rival political party”
In other words, IPS Sanjiv Bhatt was supporting a conspiracy by Congress to frame Narendra Modi and BJP
2006/2008 Malegaon blasts and 2007 Samjhauta Express blast
For 2006 Malegaon blast, initially, nine suspects were included in the charge-sheet based on the available evidence. One of the suspects Shabbir owned a battery unit in Malegaon – he was alleged to be a trained operative of LeTand investigators had found traces of RDX in his factory
For Samjhauta Express blast, United States shared intelligence inputs about the proven links of Arif Qasmani, a Pakistani national linked with terrorist organizations. UN Security Council has still listed him as the perpetrator of Samjhauta Express blast.
However, the Government of India changed the course of the investigation to implicate alleged Hindu extremists, one of which was Lt. Col Srikant Purohit, a serving army officer. He was also charged for the 2008 Malegaon Blast. For 2008 Malegaon Blast, another alleged Hindu extremist named Sadhvi Pragya Thakur was charged.
In the Court, as many as 59 witnesses from the Army stated that Purohit was a military intelligence person who was actually doing his job (of gathering intelligence inputs) by infiltrating extremist organizations.
In 2016 it was found that ATS had planted RDX to frame Col Purohit and Sadhvi Pragya to prove Hindu extremism. Inspector Mehboob Abdul Karim Mujawar also confirmed in a video that ATS team had planted RDX to frame Purohit and Sadhvi Pragya.
In August 2017, Col Purohit was granted bail after spending 9 years in jail. Earlier, in April 2017, Sadhvi Pragya was granted bail too. The Bombay High Court, while granting bail to Sadhvi Pragya stated in its order that prima facie, there’s no case against her. The full text of the court’s order can be read here.
2007 – Mecca Masjid Blast
The USA and UN held Pakistan based HuJI (Harkat ul Jihad Islami) and LeT (Lashkar-e-Toiba) as responsible for the attack. South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) is still listing Pakistan based HuJI as responsible for the attack.
Government of India were however keen on pursuing a “Hindu terror” angle. Interrogators quizzed many RSS leaders and arrested Swami Aseemanand along with a few former RSS members. NIA filed charge-sheet against alleged Hindu activists.
Not surprisingly, the charges could not be proven. In 2018, the court cited “no evidence” against the accused and acquitted Swami Aseemanand along with all others accused of any involvement in the case
Source: Times of India in 2010 confirming Pakistan based groups as responsible while the Indian government was interrogating former RSS members
2008 – Mumbai Attack
An investigation by Pakistan’s top cop Tariq Khosa confirmed that Mumbai attack was planned and executed by Pakistan based militants.
Results of his investigation were published in Pakistani newspaper Dawn, which also confirmed that Kasab was a Pakistani national, his place of residence, his initial schooling and his joining a militant organization was established. Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists were imparted training near Thatta, Sindh and launched by sea from there and the ops room from where the operation was directed, was also identified in Karachi.
Yet, in 2010, Congress leader Digvijay Singh was busy launching the book which called Mumbai terror attacks as a conspiracy by RSS.
The statements from Congress leaders like A R Antulay (Chief Minister of Maharashtra) and Digvijay Singh were keen to put the blame for 26/11 Mumbai attack on India’s “Hindu extremists”. Aziz Burney blamed Modi and RSS as responsible for the attack
To summarize, there was credible input about Malegaon blast, Samjhauta Express blast and Mecca Masjid blast being carried out by LeT and HuJI. The biggest threat to India’s peace has always been from terrorist organizations based in Pakistan.
Yet, Congress government used up country’s resources and bandwidth to prove Indian individuals (Lt. Col Purohit, Swami Aseemanand and Sadhvi Pragya) as Hindu extremists.
Rest assured, if ASI Tukaram Omble had not nabbed Ajmal Kasab alive (and paid with his life), Congress would have arrested a few RSS members, forced a confession and made us believe that Mumbai attacks in which 150 civilians were killed were also orchestrated by Modi, RSS and Hindu extremists.
A detailed report in India Today confirmed that David Headley bought Hindu sacred threads for all Mumbai attackers. They were also given fake ids of a college in Hyderabad, India. The idea was that all attackers would be killed by security forces and then these “proofs” would be shown to portray them as Indian terrorists.
It is understandable that Pakistan would go all the way to hide their footprints and pin the blame on India. What’s surprising is Congress’s eagerness to play along and pin the blame on RSS and alleged Hindu extremists just because it benefits them in local politics.
Just to reiterate because the seriousness of this is seldom understood – if Kasab was not caught alive, Congress would have made us all believe that 26/11 Mumbai attacks were orchestrated by RSS and “Hindu extremists”
Only once people understand this aspect of Mumbai attack, people who let out a gasp on “BJP is fielding a terror accused against Digvijay Singh” may wake up to the possibility that the said candidate might also be a victim of a similar conspiracy.
Perpetrating the theory of “Hindu extremism” is a ploy that yields political dividend for Congress (voters were driven away from RSS/BJP and support Congress). However, this strategy not only weakens India’s stand against Pakistan supported terrorism, it also shows India in poor light on international stage.
Once people understand the above history in detail, they’ll also get insights into why in 2019 elections BJP has fielded Sadhvi Pragya against Digvijay Singh – the main conspirator of the “Hindu terror” theory.
If she wins elections against Digvijay Singh, it would send out a strong message that Congress’s strategy of blindly blaming Hindu groups for violence has failed, voters have comprehensively rejected the “Hindu terror” theory and Congress should stop propagating the same in future.
On the last day of the campaigning for Lok Sabha elections, BJP president Amit Shah addressed the press at BJP headquarters in Delhi, where PM Modi was also present. The event started with Amit Shah addressing the journalists present, where he expressed confidence that BJP will win more than 300 seats. After the Amit Shah, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke for few minutes.
After both the speeches, journalists started asking questions which were answered by Amit Shah. Although many people were expecting that PM Modi will also take questions, that did not happen. That lead to many journalists and politicians mocking PM Modi on social media by saying that it must be the first press conference of a Prime Minister when the PM did not answer any question.
I can’t believe it but Modi’s first press conference as prime minister on Indian soil ended without him fielding a single question. Amit Shah answered everything. Then they got up and left. Remarkable.
After making opening remarks, PM has not taken any question in his first #pressconference yet. Amit Shah is answering instead even when journalists have directed the question at the PM.
What is going on ? Was this not supposed to be a press conference the hon PM addresses ? He did Maan Ki Baat & is now sitting as a prop for Amit Shah ji. No questions to PM !!
Most journalists assumed that it was a press conference by prime minister, and the same was reported by media also. Hence when they saw that it was Amit Shah who was taking questions and not Narendra Modi, they started mocking the PM, saying that he is afraid of taking questions.
But the fact is, all of them missed the crucial detail of the event, it was BJP President Amit Shah’s press conference where the PM was also present, and not a PM’s press conference. In fact, when a question was directed at the PM, he had passed that to Amit Shah, saying as a disciplined soldier of the party, he won’t speak in front of the president. By this, he had clearly indicated that he was merely present at the press conference, but it was a press conference of the BJP president, and the prime minister was present there as a BJP member.
It must be remembered that the press conference was held at BJP headquarters, not at a government venue. While earlier press conferences by prime ministers were held at government venues, not party head offices. For example, previous prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh had addressed press conferences at Vigyan Bhawan in 2010 and National Media Centre in 2014, he didn’t answer questions in Congress headquarters.
Therefore, first the journalists and opposition leaders mistook a BJP’s press conference to be Modi government’s press conference, and then accused Modi of being afraid of taking questions.
In one of the most bizarre birthday celebrations noticed recently, a Congress-NCP leader from Maharashtra celebrated his birthday with a ‘Desh ka Chowkidar Hi Chor Hai’ cake.
Anand Paranjpe, Congress-NCP alliance candidate representing the Thane constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections celebrated his birthday by cutting a cake with ‘Desh ka Chowkidar Hi Chor Hai’ written on it.
Paranjpe had joined the NCP in the year 2014 after he quit the Shiv Sena. Interestingly, according to an official affidavit submitted to Election Commission (EC), there are 14 criminal cases pending against Anand Paranjpe.
The ‘Chowkidar chor hai’ jibe against PM Modi has been the slogan the Congress and its president have been obsessing over in the run-up to the elections.
Such has become the Congress’ obsession with this remark, that the party had launched advertisements titled ‘chowkidar chor hai’ as part of Madhya Pradesh’ election campaign amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. The Election commission had, however, put a ban to it by calling it highly derogatory and defamatory.
Moreover, the Congress President in his habit of using the gag line had gone on to audaciously attribute the “Chowkidar Chor Hai” jibe to the Supreme court which had, in turn, become a major embarrassment for the grand old party.
Rahul Gandhi had to tender an unconditional apology in the Supreme Court for “unintentionally and inadvertently” attributing the ‘Chowkidar Chor hai’ jibe against Prime Minister Modi to the court’s order on Rafale Review plea.
Interestingly, PM Modi had kickstarted the 2019 Lok Sabha election campaign with launching ‘Main Bhi Chowkidar’ campaign, effectively turning the negative campaigning by Congress on its head.
Following this, senior BJP leaders, including party president Amit Shah, and Union ministers had prefixed their names on the microblogging site with ‘chowkidar’, which turned out be an instant hit as it became a mass movement spontaneously after lakhs of common people joined the campaign.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi today admitted to having ‘journalists’ on Congress’ side who could go and pose questions on the party’s behalf to his opponents. While addressing a press conference himself, at a time when the BJP was addressing a press conference, Rahul Gandhi inadvertently acknowledged that there are a few journalists, who probably identify themselves as neutral, are on Congress’ side.
Here @RahulGandhi admits how he failed to plant Congress journalists at PM Modi's press conference. He is causally admitting that he has bought a bunch of pet journalists.
Taking a dig at PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi said that he had sent some journalists to go and ask a couple of questions from ‘our’ side, but I believe they (those journalists sent by Rahul Gandhi) are not allowed.
Netizens were quick to point out how Congress is finally admitting the party has a few media persons to do their bidding.
Pappu agrees that he has media on congress pay rolls.
Only a Pappu can spill beans that he asked “his journalists” to ambush an opponent’s press conference. Modi is lucky to have Pappu @RahulGandhi as his principal enemy
The Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai has directed all the accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case to be present before the court at least once a week. The court also expressed displeasure over the accused not being present in the courtroom.
Special NIA court in Mumbai directs all accused of Malegaon 2008 blast case to remain present before the court atleast once a week.Accused include Pragya Thakur, Lt Col Prasad Purohit and others.Court expressed displeasure over their absence in courtroom. Next hearing on May 20 pic.twitter.com/CSqSPX0zyy
Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Bhopal, and Lt Col Purohit are accused in the Malegaon blast case. They were both arrested in relation to the case. Last month the NIA court while hearing a petition filed by Nisar Ahmed Sayyed Bilal, had refused to restrain Sadhvi Pragya’s candidature in the Lok Sabha elections citing the lack of jurisdiction. She had alleged that she was subjected to brutal custodial torture while she was in custody. She had named the former ATS Chief Late Hemant Karkare as being involved in her custodial torture but she had to apologise for naming Karkare following criticism.
Last year Lt Col Purohit had filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking an SIT probe into his abduction, detention, and torture since his arrest in 2008. However, the Apex court had refused to entertain his petition and asked him to approach the trial court. The court cited the reason that the petition might impact the ongoing trial in the Malegaon blast case.
Amidst the raging controversies of statements regarding Mahatma Gandhi and his assassin Nathuram Godse, a shocking new revelation has emerged from obscurity. In 2012, the Home Ministry under the UPA government had said that Mahatma Gandhi cannot be accorded ‘Father of Nation’ appellation, citing that the constitution of the country doesn’t permit any titles except educational and military ones.
In response to an RTI filed by a Lucknow-based student Aishwarya Parashar seeking details about Mahatma Gandhi and reasons for referring him as ‘Father of Nation’. The Home Ministry, in its response, said that no such title has been accorded to Mahatma Gandhi. The Ministry added that no such action was taken on her plea to President to declare Mahatma Gandhi as ‘Father of Nation’ as Article 18(1) of the constitution didn’t permit any titles except educational or military one.
Aishwarya Parashar had written to then President Pratibha Patil and PM Manmohan Singh to issue a notification declaring Mahatma Gandhi as ‘Father of the Nation’. She had then filed an RTI to seek the action taken by the government on her plea. Her RTI application was transferred to the Home Ministry which then listed down the reason for their refusal to grant Mahatma Gandhi with ‘Father of Nation’ title.
Mahatma Gandhi has been referred to as the ‘Father of the Nation’ in post-independence India in numerous literary and popular references. It is also believed that it was Subhash Chandra Bose who had first used the reference for Mahatma Gandhi. However, the UPA government in 2012 had clarified that it is not an official title and neither the government can make it one.
PM Narendra Modi in an interview to New24 India, strongly condemned Sadhvi Pragya Thakur for her “Godse a patriot” remark, which has stirred a massive furore in the political circle.
In extremely heavy words Modi said that however apologetic the person might be, he would never forgive anyone who dares to insult Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi).
Sadhvi Pragya kicked off a political storm on Thursday, calling Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse a ‘Deshbhakt’ (Nationalist).
Later in the day, Pragya’s spokesperson and BJP leader Hitesh Bajpai claimed that Thakur had apologised and retracted her statement. BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao also condemned Thakur’s statement and said the party did not agree with her remark. Rao asked the BJP candidate from Bhopal to apologise publicly for the comment.
BJP completely disagrees with the reported comments by its Bhopal candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur with regard to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi. While strongly condemning this objectionable statement, the party will ask her to tender a public apology. pic.twitter.com/CmUvosPh1W
The BJP president Amit Shah has also come out in defence of his party claiming that the tendentious remarks made by its leaders were their personal opinions and they do not reflect the party’s stand on the matter.
The BJP president Amit Shah has also said that the concerned leader has taken her statement back and apologized for the same. Shah further added that the party has taken her remarks seriously and has sent it to the disciplinary committee to seek an explanation for the controversial remarks. The committee will submit the report to the party within 10 days.
However, Pragya Thakur later said that she agrees with the party line. “If I have hurt anyone I do apologise,” said Pragya Thakur agreeing that her statement was ‘absolutely wrong’. She clarified that she had great respect for Mahatma Gandhi.
BJP’s Pragya Thakur says, “Apne sangathan BJP mein nishtha rakhti hun, uski karyakarta hun aur party ki line meri line hai.” Earlier in the day, she had said “Nathuram Godse was, is and will remain a ‘deshbhakt’.” BJP has condemned her statement & asked her to apologise publicly pic.twitter.com/0bPJSsgPaL
Pragya Thakur had made the controversial statement while responding to actor-turned-politician, Kamal Haasan’ remark terming Godse as ‘independent India’s first terrorist who was a Hindu’. The President of the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) party who is a new entrant to the political fray in India, at an election rally in Aravakurichi assembly constituency had termed Godse as independent India’s first terrorist, stirring a fresh controversy. “Independent India’s first terrorist was a Hindu. His name was Nathuram Godse. I’m not saying this because this is a locality with a sizeable Muslim population. I’m saying this in front of a Gandhi statue,” he had said.
With merely two days remaining for the last phase of the Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Modi gave an interview to News24 continuing his spree of interviews since elections began. In his interview, he condemned Sadhvi Pragya’s remarks on Godse and Gandhi in the strongest of terms.
Narendra Modi was also asked about Rahul Gandhi’s comments on his ‘Bhrastachari No. 1‘ remark for Rajiv Gandhi. The Congress President had said that he will never drag the Prime Minister’s own parents into politics even though Modi may not award him the same courtesy.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRHghX9axmI]
Modi heavily criticized the Congress President for his remark and said he doesn’t need to be shown any mercy. He appeared quite angered by Rahul Gandhi’s remarks and addressed him directly for the first time.
He said, “Normally, I never address him by name but let me do it today. Shriman Rahul Gandhi ji, you have the experience of 5 generations in public life, your family has occupied the highest positions in the country, therefore, I am not doubting your wisdom. I am requesting you today to not show any mercy towards my parents. If my parents have ever done anything wrong, in personal, social or public life, whatever information you have on the matter, come out in public with the matter.” He further said that he will personally request the Election Commission to allow Rahul Gandhi to present the information on his parents’ conduct even if the time for campaigning is over.
“Abuse my parents, speak against me, do it on the basis of the evidence you have. I do not want it to happen that my parents have done something wrong and others show them mercy. By using the word mercy, you are hurting my integrity and my sanskar. If you believe giving birth to me is their biggest crime, then you can do whatever you want with me,” he added.
Narendra Modi also asserted that he has every right to criticize Rajiv Gandhi as he is a former Prime Minister. “I have no right to criticize your parents nor does anyone else have. And that is how it should be. However, people have the right to criticize former Prime Ministers, the RajParivar and those who live in public life. The same applies to me as well.”
He further stated, “If there are Rambhakts today, then there are people who debate Ram’s legacy proudly. People still debate Shri Krishna’s legacy and people who do so are respected. You may not understand Sanskrit, Rahul ji, but in our country, there was this person who before Marxist ideology spoke in that manner. He used to say, “Spend money, eat Ghee. Who cares about what happens after we die? Even to him, we gave the title of Rishi. This is the greatness of our country. If Ram can be criticized, then so can be Modi even decades after my tenure has ended.”
The simmering tension between Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh and minister Navjot Singh Sidhu is finally out in open as the latter’s wife, Navjot Sidhu Kaur has alleged that Captain Amarinder Singh is responsible for her not getting the ticket to fight the Lok Sabha elections from the Amritsar seat.
Navjot Sidhu Kaur had alleged that Captain Amarinder Singh and Asha Kumari had denied her ticket to fight from the Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency on the grounds that her image might have tainted due to the Dussehra incident in which 60 innocent lives were lost. In addition to this, Kaur had even stated that Capt Amarinder Singh and Asha Kumari think that the Sidhu couple is incapable to do ‘some benefit for Punjab’. Kaur, who was also seeking a ticket from Chandigarh constituency had alleged that the CM had claimed that he alone was capable to lead Congress to victory on 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab.
Defending her wife’s allegations against Captain Amarinder Singh denying her LS ticket, Navjot Singh Sidhu contented that her wife will “never lie”. When asked about her wife’s allegations, the Tourism and Culture Minister, Navjot Singh Sidhu said, ” My wife has that much strength and moral authority that she will never lie.”
However, Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh has dismissed the allegations levelled against him by Navjot Sidhu Kaur claiming that she was offered a chance to fight from Amritsar or Bhatinda but she refused to fight on both the seats. Singh added, “Ticket allocation is done by the Congress leadership in Delhi and they had denied her application to fight from the Chandigarh seat. Chandigarh doesn’t come under Punjab and thus I had no role in her rejection.” Singh also said that if given a choice, he would have recommended Pawan Bansal, the party’s chosen candidate for Chandigarh seat.
Last year a tragedy befell due to administration negligence in Amritsar during an event in which Navjot Sidhu Kaur was the chief guest. The probe report pointed out that the organisers of the event, including councillor’s Vijay Madan’s son Mithu Madan, who is a close aide of the Navjot Sidhu, did not undertake proper safety measures and showed extreme negligence while managing crowd. Navjot Singh Sidhu had rubbed salt on the wounds of the victims and the bereaved families stating the accident as ‘Parmatma ka Prakop’ (wrath of the almighty).
Things went sour between Captain Amarinder Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu when despite Captain’s advise Navjot Singh Sidhu visited Pakistan on Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s invite for the Kartarpur groundbreaking ceremony. Captain had asked Sidhu to not visit Pakistan amidst the rising ceasefire violations by Pakistani soldiers along the border. At that time, Navjot Singh Sidhu had quipped, “My captain is Rahul Gandhi and he is the captain of the Captain(Amarinder Singh). Sidhu in a video said that Rahul Gandhi also provided a special plane to facilitate Navjot Singh Sidhu’s Pakistan visit. The relation between Captain and Sidhu further strained when the latter’s picture with Khalistani terrorist Gopal Singh Chawla did the rounds on the Internet.
