'Will Stand by Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi': Sidhu After Quitting as Punjab Chief

Navjot Singh Sidhu wrote in a tweet that he will stand by Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi irrespective of his post.

Navjot Singh Sidhu with Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi. File photo. 

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/Altered by The Quint)

Days after resigning as the chief of the Congress party in Punjab, Navjot Singh Sidhu wrote in a tweet on Saturday, 2 October, that he will stand by Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi irrespective of his post.

"Will uphold principles of Gandhiji and Shastriji...post or no post will stand by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi (sic)."

Background

Days after Sihdu’s rivalry with former CM Captain Amarinder Singh culminated into Captain's resignation, Sidhu resigned as the Punjab Congress chief saying, "The collapse of a man’s character stems from the compromise corner, I can never compromise on Punjab’s future and the agenda for the welfare of Punjab.”

Sidhu reportedly resigned opposing the appointments of Amar Preet Singh Deol as Punjab's Advocate General and the promotion of Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota as the director general of Punjab police (DGP).

Sidhu's Opposition:

Sahota and Deol have been under the cloud over sacrilege cases of 2015, wherein the police had fired at civilians protesting the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura.

APS Deol has served as the personal lawyer of former DGP Sumedh Saini and IPS Pramraj Singh Umranangal, both accused in Behbal Kalan firing case. Sahota, on the other hand, had been head of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that had been set up to probe the sacrilege incidents and had been accused of going soft on the probe.

Sidhu met with Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Thursday, 30 September leading to speculations that the problem may have been resolved and Sidhu might resume the post of Punjab Congress chief. Before the meeting, he tweeted, "DGP IPS Sahota was head of SIT investigating Beadbi case under Badal Govt, he wrongfully indicted two Sikh youth for sacrilege & gave clean chit to Badals. In 2018, I along with INC Ministers, then PCC Pres & present Home Minister assured them of our support in fight for Justice."

The council of ministers is set to meet on Monday, where CM Channi will likely announce some decisions on the party’s 18-point agenda.