Punjab Congress Crisis: Sidhu's Advisor Malwinder Mali Quits, Says Can't Continue In Given Circumstances

Rawat had earlier asked Sidhu to remove his advisors Mali and Garg, who have bagged headlines with their continued attacks on Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu. (File Photo)

Chandigarh: Navjot Singh Sidhu’s advisor Malwinder Singh Mali on Friday resigned from his post hours after Punjab Congress In-Charge Harish Rawat asked state president to remove his two controversial advisors.

Rawat had earlier asked Sidhu to remove his advisors Mali and Garg, who have bagged headlines with their continued attacks on Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh and his aides in the recent past.

"I withdraw my consent given for tendering suggestions to Punjab Congress President Navjot Singh Sidhu," wrote Malwinder Singh Mali while quitting as an advisor to Sidhu on Friday.

Mali's sensitive social media posts on Kashmir issue and personal attacks on Punjab CM have sparked massive controversy and Amarinder Singh had termed the statements of Sidhu's aides as 'atrocious', 'ill conceived' and 'anti-national'.

"Anti-Sikh forces that can't tolerate the emerging Punjab model, issue-based and solution-based politics of transparency and accountability, which has dawned in the backdrop of the long-drawn peaceful 'kisan andolan', have a nefarious design to derail the dialogue process that has started taking shape... (There is a plot to) push me into the struggle with tied hands, which is not acceptable to me. I humbly withdraw my consent given for tendering suggestions to Navjot Singh Sidhu," Mali said in an official statement.

Remarks by Sidhu's advisors also gave ammunition to several Opposition parties including Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiromani Akali Dal and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). 

BJP general secretary Tarun Chugh said the Congress should clarify its stand on the recent controversial remarks made by the advisers of the party's Punjab unit chief on Pakistan. He also said the statements made by Sidhu's advisers were similar to what Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and Pakistan Army chief General Q J Bajwa have been telling India.

Meanwhile, AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal disapproved of the recent controversial remarks made by two advisers of Sidhu. "I believe that from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, India is one. Nobody can separate us. Such statements are not right," he said.