Sidhu’s embrace with Pak army chief at swearing-in triggers row
ISLAMABAD: Indian politician Navjot Singh Sidhu’s effusive embrace of Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Bajwa at Imran Khan’s swearing-in ceremony in Islamabad on Saturday triggered a controversy, with the BJP criticizing his behaviour. Sidhu also faced criticism for sitting next to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir president Masood Khan, with the BJP describing it as a breach of protocol. However, if Khan was the star of the show at the President’s House in Islamabad, Sidhu came a close second. Attired in a distinct pink turban and a blue bandh-gala suit, Sidhu was mentioned by most TV news channels as he made his entrance.
TV footage showed Sidhu animatedly speaking to Bajwa and embracing the general twice. What they said was inaudible in the footage, but Sidhu later explained he had hugged Bajwa after the army chief spoke of plans to open the route to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur in Pakistan for Guru Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary in 2019.
“I came here for friendship, and not to talk politics. Without asking, I received this precious gift. Gen Bajwa came to me and said for Guru Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary, we are thinking of opening the Kartarpur route,” he told a news conference. “I told him there is a big demand in Punjab to open this route. He (Bajwa) also said, ‘We want peace.’”
Gurdwara Darbar Sahib stands at the site where the founder of the Sikh religion died and is located about three kilometres from the border. Indian Sikhs have for long demanded they should be allowed to visit the shrine through a special passage without visas. The BJP hit out at Sidhu for joining Khan’s swearing-in ceremony and embracing the Pakistan Army chief.
“We have been seeing on TV that Sidhu is hugging Pakistan Army Chief Qamar Bajwa and sitting next to the President of POK. This is not a simple issue, he is not an individual, he is a minister in a state government and every Indian has taken it very seriously,” BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told a news conference.
“As per the protocol, Sidhu was not supposed to sit next to the President of POK. He was asked to sit next to Sidhu, and Sidhu should have refused immedi- ately.” Sidhu was interviewed by state-run Pakistan Television and he replied in Punjabi, quoting his poetry. While he was at the President’s House, he was closely monitored by TV channels that reported on his every move.
As other dignitaries entered the hall, Sidhu had a brief interaction with the Pakistani air force and navy chiefs, following which Bajwa struck up a conversation with him. They spoke for a few minutes and media reports said Sindhu asked Bajwa to play a role for peace between the two countries. As the guests were seated, Sidhu’s seat was shifted from the third row to the first row, where he sat next to the Masood Khan.
Officials said the change was made not to seat Sidhu next to the POK president but to move him closer to the stage. Welcoming Khan’s offer to take two steps towards peace if India took one, Sidhu said he would try to motivate the Indian government to go ahead and take that one step. “Governance is about having the courage to take big decisions. I hope our governments will take these decisions to ensure we swim together in a blue sea meant for all, rather than drown in a red sea of bloodshed,” he said.