Navjot Singh Sidhu's advisor Malvinder Singh Mali quit the post earlier today
The BJP today slammed the Congress leadership over its response to the controversial statements of Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu's advisors and made light of the decision of one of them to quit his post as something done under pressure.
Neither Navjot Sidhu nor Rahul Gandhi rejected the statements made by these advisors, BJP chief spokesperson Anil Baluni said.
No apology has been tendered as well, he said and alleged that even Mr Sidhu had in the past made comments praising Pakistan and Prime Minister Imran Khan.
It has become a practice with Congress leaders to make such comments that go against the national interests, and then take some damage-control measures under media pressure, the Rajya Sabha MP said.
Navjot Singh Sidhu's advisor Malvinder Singh Mali, in the eye of the storm for his comments on Kashmir, quit the post earlier in the day.
His remarks that "Kashmir is a country of the Kashmiri people" and also on Article 370 had not only drawn fire from the Opposition but also from several Congress leaders, including Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.
"The Congress' decision to have Sidhu's advisor removed has been merely done due to pressure. Navjot Sidhu has also spoken in the past on similar lines. Even Rahul Gandhi had made comments that have been supportive of countries like Pakistan. The fact remains that Navjot Sidhu or Rahul Gandhi has not rejected the advisor's comments. No apology has been tendered," Mr Baluni said.
Pyare Lal Garg, another advisor of the new Punjab Congress Chief, had questioned Amarinder Singh's criticism of Pakistan and claimed that it was not in the interest of the state.