‘Silent’ retreat for Sidhu after speechifying spree
Others rest on their laurels, Navjot Singh Sidhu rests his voice. After 17 days of intense campaigning in the assembly polls, Sidhu’s vocal cords are screaming for the sound of silence. Doctors have warned him that he is in danger of losing his voice and recommended that he rest for 3-5 days. Perhaps, this is the sanest advice he has received and its timing couldn’t be better, what with the leader of a right wing group, the Hindu Yuva Vahini, announcing a bounty of Rs one crore to anyone who will behead Sidhu, angered by his description of UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath as a ‘bhogi’ (a person who leads a life of extravagance).
Sidhu had used the term at a rally in Rajasthan on Sunday. He told a crowd that even the chowkidar’s (alluding to the Prime Minister) dog is not loyal. “...And Yogi is the biggest ‘bhogi’.” Incensed, the leader of the Agra unit of the group has hinted Sidhu must move to Pakistan.
The cricketer-turnedcommentator-turned-politician, who struck many a chord with the public, thanks to his oneliners, will now have to take solace from his own cache of witticisms -- “Politics is not a bad profession, boss, if you succeed there are rewards, if you fail you can always write the book.” It is time he gave the world the silent treatment and makes his voice heard through the written word, given the threats to his well-being.
Punjab’s local government, tourism and cultural affairs minister, has left for an undisclosed destination for a complete check-up and recovery, a Punjab government release said.
Continuous helicopter and plane travel has been detrimental to his health, too, since he is on embolism treatment, on account of a DVT (deep vein thrombosis) he suffered due to excess air travel some years ago.
In the thick of it all, he also took the time to be in Pakistan for the ground-breaking ceremony for the Kartarpur corridor. Having granted an interview at the drop of a hat in the neighbouring country, there must be a deafening silence in Lahore now.