Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu who has invited sharp criticism for his truants like hugging Pakistani Army chief and sharing of views with Pakistani prime Minister Imran khan, has now got photo clicked with Pakistani pro-Khalistan separatist leader Gopal Singh Chawla which was posted by the latter on Facebook and soon went viral.
While Sidhu downplayed the controversy, saying,, "I got lot of love in Pakistan and everyday tens of thousands 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.
While Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Sigh declined to visit Pakistan for the Kartarpur corridor event becaue of that country’s support to anti-India and anti-Punjab activities, his own minister Navjot Singh Sidhu went against his wish and got clicked with Khalistani Gopal S Chawla, a close aide of Hafiz Saeed.
Sidhu met Khalistani terrorist Gopal Chawla in Pak four days after Punjab Police exposed Khalistani involvement in Amritsar terrorist attack and.
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.
Pakistani officials, however, 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.
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.