Navjot Sidhu Summons Advisors As Punjab CM Amarinder, Manish Tewari Raise Concerns Over 'Pro Pak' Remarks

For the uninitiated, Garg had questioned Punjab Chief Minister Amrinder Singh's criticism of Pakistan while Mali gave a controversial remark on Kashmir.

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New Delhi: Punjab state Congress Committee chief (PPCC) Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday summoned his advisors Malwinder Singh Mali and Dr Pyare Lal Garg to his residence after their remarks triggered a controversy, news agency ANI reported. 

The two have been summoned by the PPCC chief after Amrinder Singh took cognisance of their comments supporting Pakistan along with a controversial statement regarding Kashmir.

For the uninitiated, Garg had questioned Punjab Chief Minister Amrinder Singh's criticism of Pakistan while Mali gave a controversial remark on Kashmir.

Mali had also posted an objectionable poster of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on social media.

Earlier in the day, senior Congress leader Manish Tewari urged the party to introspect on whether those who do not consider Jammu and Kashmir as a part of India and have pro-Pakistan leanings should be part of the Punjab Congress.

"I urge Harish Rawat, AICC Gen Secy in-charge Punjab to seriously introspect that those who do not consider J&K to be a part of India and others who have ostensibly Pro-Pakistan leanings should be a part of Punjab Congress," he wrote on Twitter.

His remarks came a day after Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh criticised Sidhu's advisors.

He termed the statements by Malvinder Singh Mali and Pyare Lal Garg as "atrocious and ill-conceived" comments that were potentially dangerous to the peace and stability of the state and the country.

The Punjab CM asked Sidhu to "rein in" his advisors, saying that they should 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".

Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Daljit Singh Cheema also took a dig at Sidhu commenting that the PPCC chief was himself friendly to Pakistan Prime Minister and Army Chief, so his advisors were just following suit.

(With Inputs From Agencies)