With Navjot Singh Sidhu saying he resigned from the Rajya Sabha as a BJP MP because he had been asked to "not even look at" Punjab, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) spokesman Prem Singh Chandumajra on Tuesday said there were other reasons behind the sudden change in his behaviour, because what he had said was not going down well with anybody.
"Navjot Sidhu is my friend, but we cannot understand the logic he has given behind his resignation. It is indigestible to everybody. Had Akali Dal been interfering into his affairs, the party could have also stopped him from becoming a member of the Rajya Sabha. Moreover, after taking oath, he had said he would work for the BJP. Thus, there are other reasons behind the sudden change in his behaviour. Sidhu must talk about that, because what he has said is not going down well with anybody," Chandumajra told ANI.
"Why will we stop him from coming to Punjab? If he says that he wants to be in Punjab for the betterment of the state, he should have stayed with the BJP-Akali Dal, because no other party is more concerned about Punjab," he said while rejecting Sidhu's allegations.
Slamming Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann for accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan asking him not to attend the House sitting till a decision on the matter is reached, the SAD MP from Anandpur Sahib said: "Had Modi Sahab told him to shoot video and post on social media? When Mann is at fault, how could BJP or other parties be responsible for that? A person who does not know the rules of Parliament and does not understand his responsibility as an MP will put onus on others. He should have respected the decision of the Speaker. If he was not wrong, why did he offer apology to the Speaker. He will have to accountable for his mistakes."
He further said Bhagwant Maan wanted to become popular by posting Parliament's video and attending the House in inebriated condition, adding that as far as his allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP or any party are concerned, they are wrong.
As AAP MLA Naresh Yadav was remanded in police custody for two days in connection with an incident of alleged sacrilege last month, the SAD general secretary said, "Even toady I raised the matter in the Lok Sabha that there are people who want to disturb and divide the country. They are toying in hands of anti-national forces working under the umbrella of a political system.
"AAP's MLAs have become a pawn. At least 11 AAP leaders are accused of disrespecting women and FIRs have been registered as well. Second, they desecrated Quran Sharif in Malerkotla and Vijay Kumar took holy Quran Sharif from Jama Masjid from Delhi, which make us think that they had their hands in desecration of holy books."
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"Now we doubt that they were behind the Bargadi incident as well; because, they had delivered provocative speeches at the so-called Sarbat Khalsa to instigate them. They had also sent pictures to those people who are indulged in anti-national talk," he alleged.
"All these show that under the political umbrella, they want to break and ruin the nation by instigating communal riots.