"Can You Blame Entire Nation?" Anger Over Navjot Sidhu's Pulwama Remark

Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday condemned the terror attack on soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama on Thursday, the worst in decades. But the Punjab minister, a Congress leader, landed in a huge controversy as he questioned, without naming Pakistan, "Can an entire nation be blamed for a handful of people?"

At least 40 soldiers of the Central Reserve Police Force or CRPF were killed in a terror attack by the Jaish-e-Mohammed or JeM when their convoy was heading from Jammu to Srinagar. The incident took place approximately 20 km from Srinagar, when a terrorist driving a car detonated more than 60 kilograms of explosives near a bus which was part of the CRPF convoy. The explosion was so massive that window panes of houses and buildings were damaged in a nearly-10-km radius.

More than 2,500 CRPF were returning from leave to rejoin duty in Srinagar. They were travelling in the convoy of 78 vehicles when the terrorist struck at around 3:15 pm.

Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed the terror attack shortly after the incident and also posted photos and a video of the terrorist, Adil Ahmad Dar, who had joined the terror outfit last year.

"It (the terror attack) is a cowardly and dastardly act and I condemn it firmly. Violence is always condemnable and those who did it must be punished," said Navjot Sidhu.

However, Mr Sidhu followed that up by saying, "For a handful of people, can you blame the entire nation and can you blame an individual?"

Mr Sidhu's comment on Friday created a storm on social media, with dozens of people on Twitter demanding a ban on The Kapil Sharma Show, following Navjot Sidhu's remark. Mr Sidhu is a member and part of comedian Kapil Sharma's popular television show.

People took to Twitter to demand the removal of the Congres leader from the Kapil Sharma show.  

Sidhu should be removed from the show immediately and he should be strictly advised to be more careful while speaking.

— Pawan Kumar Nigam (@PawanKumarNig11) February 16, 2019

I will not subscribe to Sony if sidhu not banned #BoycottSiddhu

— anant pandey (@anantbhaskar) February 16, 2019

#SonyTV
Please remove sidhu from kapil show#boycottsidhu

— Surya pratap singh (@Suryagkp94) February 15, 2019

Last year, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's invite to Navjot Sidhu for his swearing-in ceremony became controversial. Despite strained ties between India and Pakistan and his senior colleagues advising him not to go, Navjot Sidhu went ahead citing his "personal friendship" with Imran Khan, a former cricketer.

Mr Sidhu faced sharp criticism for sharing a hug with Pakistan's army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

The Punjab Assembly today strongly condemned the Pulwama terror attack.

(Inputs from PTI)