Navjot Singh Sidhu Hugging Pak Army Chief

The BJP has a knack for creating a controversy where there is none. The latest example is Navjot Singh Sidhu's visit to Pakistan and his praise of its Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu's hug to Pakistan's army chief during his visit to Pakistan for the swearing-in of Prime Minister Imran Khan in August had stirred up a storm back home. The gesture could have been avoided, many said, but Mr Sidhu had played it down saying it was just a "jhappi" (hug).

Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who courted controversy over embracing Pakistan army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa when he visited the country to attend its Prime Minister Imran Khan's swearing-in ceremony earlier this year, has taken a jibe at the centre, saying his hug turned out to be good for the people.

Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said he has no regrets about going to Pakistan and hugging the army chief. "My hug is not a conspiracy, it's no Rafale deal," Navjot Singh Sidhu told NDTV. He denied union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal's claim that he had been "reprimanded" by foreign minister Sushma Swaraj.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today said that Navjot Singh Sidhu's gesture of hugging Pakistan's army chief impacted soldiers back home and asserted that the Punjab minister could have "avoided it".

Navjot Singh Sidhu's gesture of hugging Pakistan's army chief during his visit to Islamabad for Imran Khan's oath ceremony impacted soldiers and "demoralises people", Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today, commenting that the Punjab minister "could have avoided it".

Punjab cabinet minister Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa, on Wednesday, advised his ministerial colleague Navjot Singh Sidhu to "say sorry" to the families of soldiers killed on duty for upsetting them by hugging the Pakistan Army chief recently.

Sidhu did no more than "do in Rome what the Romans do". Giving a hug to Bajwa would have received only passing notice if the BJP had not, as they always do, sought to communalize the issue and create salience between "Pakistani" and "Muslim" to push forward their divisive agenda.

Shortly after Navjot Singh Sidhu parried criticism of his visit to Islamabad for the oath ceremony of fellow cricket veteran-turned-politician Imran Khan as the new Pakistan prime minister, a statement of thanks and support came from across the border.

Cricketer-turned-minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, attacked by critics for his visit to Pakistan for Imran Khan's oath ceremony and a controversial hug shared with the Pakistani army chief, hit back today with a detailed rebuttal.

After drawing flak from Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and the opposition for embracing the Pakistan Army chief, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu said today that he was prepared to give a strong reply to all when needed.

This hug, however, will hurt the Congress - thanks to the BJP's social media army and friendly channels that will make sure it's a lasting embrace.

Navjot Singh Sidhu, the Punjab minister who travelled to Pakistan to watch 'friend' Imran Khan take over as Pakistan Prime Minister, prophesised a positive change in Islamabad's approach towards India. "He will be taking the positive direction... and positive anything is better than negative nothing," Mr Sidhu told NDTV in an exclusive interview.

The BJP has a knack for creating a controversy where there is none. The latest example is Navjot Singh Sidhu's visit to Pakistan and his praise of its Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu's hug to Pakistan's army chief during his visit to Pakistan for the swearing-in of Prime Minister Imran Khan in August had stirred up a storm back home. The gesture could have been avoided, many said, but Mr Sidhu had played it down saying it was just a "jhappi" (hug).

Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who courted controversy over embracing Pakistan army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa when he visited the country to attend its Prime Minister Imran Khan's swearing-in ceremony earlier this year, has taken a jibe at the centre, saying his hug turned out to be good for the people.

Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said he has no regrets about going to Pakistan and hugging the army chief. "My hug is not a conspiracy, it's no Rafale deal," Navjot Singh Sidhu told NDTV. He denied union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal's claim that he had been "reprimanded" by foreign minister Sushma Swaraj.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today said that Navjot Singh Sidhu's gesture of hugging Pakistan's army chief impacted soldiers back home and asserted that the Punjab minister could have "avoided it".

Navjot Singh Sidhu's gesture of hugging Pakistan's army chief during his visit to Islamabad for Imran Khan's oath ceremony impacted soldiers and "demoralises people", Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today, commenting that the Punjab minister "could have avoided it".

Punjab cabinet minister Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa, on Wednesday, advised his ministerial colleague Navjot Singh Sidhu to "say sorry" to the families of soldiers killed on duty for upsetting them by hugging the Pakistan Army chief recently.

Sidhu did no more than "do in Rome what the Romans do". Giving a hug to Bajwa would have received only passing notice if the BJP had not, as they always do, sought to communalize the issue and create salience between "Pakistani" and "Muslim" to push forward their divisive agenda.

Shortly after Navjot Singh Sidhu parried criticism of his visit to Islamabad for the oath ceremony of fellow cricket veteran-turned-politician Imran Khan as the new Pakistan prime minister, a statement of thanks and support came from across the border.

Cricketer-turned-minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, attacked by critics for his visit to Pakistan for Imran Khan's oath ceremony and a controversial hug shared with the Pakistani army chief, hit back today with a detailed rebuttal.

After drawing flak from Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and the opposition for embracing the Pakistan Army chief, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu said today that he was prepared to give a strong reply to all when needed.

This hug, however, will hurt the Congress - thanks to the BJP's social media army and friendly channels that will make sure it's a lasting embrace.

Navjot Singh Sidhu, the Punjab minister who travelled to Pakistan to watch 'friend' Imran Khan take over as Pakistan Prime Minister, prophesised a positive change in Islamabad's approach towards India. "He will be taking the positive direction... and positive anything is better than negative nothing," Mr Sidhu told NDTV in an exclusive interview.