Navjot Sidhu is 'biggest traitor' of the country: Sukhbir Badal

Chandigarh, Sep 18: Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday called Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu "biggest traitor" of the country and demanded the cricketer-turned politician's call details be investigated "as he is in constant touch with Pakistanis".

The former deputy chief minister accused Sidhu of only being interested in staying in the limelight by raising pious issues like Kartarpur Sahib corridor "without any seriousness". Badal asserted that Sidhu was reprimanded by Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj for allegedly meddling in the Kartarpur Corridor issue.

"Sidhu hugged the Pakistan Army chief when he went to Pakistan (to participate in the oath taking ceremony of Pakistan PM Imran Khan). He embraced their Army chief who orders killing of our soldiers at the border. There cannot be a bigger traitor than Sidhu," Badal said while talking to reporters here. I feel Sidhu has relations with ISI (Pakistan's spy agency). His call details should be investigated by intelligence agencies as he is in constant touch with Pakistanis," Badal alleged.

Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij said Sidhu is a minister in the Punjab government and he should refrain from commenting on foreign policy.

"He is a minister in the Punjab Governnment, not an External Affairs Minister. He should refrain from commenting on foreign policy," Vij told reporters at a separate venue here.

Vij reiterated that being a citizen of the country, Sidhu can present his views but he cannot interfere in foreign policy. Responding to allegations levelled by Akali Dal, Navjot Singh Sidhu, earlier in the day, said, "If anybody wants to make allegations against me or abuse me let them do so. Here, we are talking about Kartarpur Sahib corridor".

When asked on reports that the Union Minister for External Affairs had reprimanded him, Sidhu said, "Don't make my taste go bitter. I have nothing to say. Peace is the only way forward."

Speaking on Sidhu's claims that Swaraj had assured him that she would write a letter to Pakistan on Kartarpur Sahib corridor issue, Badal said, "Sidhu is just doing drama and deliberately entangling the pious issue of Kartarpur Sahib corridor..."

"He (Sidhu) just wants to remain in limelight. He was reprimanded by the union external affairs minister on this issue. I think he should understand that politics is not a laughter channel," Badal said.

On Monday, Harsimrat, wife of Sukhbir Badal, had tweeted, "External Affairs Minister reprimands Navjot Sidhu for messing up Kartarpur Sahib corridor dialogue and misusing political clearance granted for private visit by hugging military chief responsible for killing our soldiers."

PTI