'...Amarinder, Raghav Responsible': Sidhu Adviser Mali Quits After Rawat's Ultimatum

Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu’s adviser Malwinder Singh Mali resigned on Friday from the post of advisor to the PPCC chief.

In a scathing resignation, Mali said, “In case of any harm against me, Captain Amarinder Singh, Punjab’s cabinet minister, Vijender Singh, Punjab’s MP Manish Tewari, Punjab’s Former deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, former cabinet minister Bikramjit Singh Majithia and BJP’s Subhash Sharma, Aam Aadmi Party’s Raghav Chadha and Jarnail Singh will be responsible.”

Reacting to the resignation, Harish Rawat said, “This matter is between Sidhu sahib and Mali sahib. It is a good thing if he has resigned. This type of statement is absolutely not acceptable to Congress. I will meet Rahul ji tomorrow…He (Navjot Singh Sidhu’s advisor) has disowned his remark on Pakistan and Kashmir, so the matter ends there.”

Earlier, AICC in-charge of Punjab affairs Harish Rawat said he had asked Navjot Singh Sidhu to sack his controversial advisers Pyare Lal Garg and Malwinder Singh Mali.

Sidhu in a statement, prior to the resignation, had said that he must be allowed to take his decisions independently.

“For one, Congress party has nothing to do with Sidhu’s advisers. Secondly, the adviser’s remarks on Kashmir are not acceptable to Congress. Kashmir is an integral part of the country. If there is an unresolved issue with Pakistan, that is Pak-occupied Kashmir (PoK). I have told Sidhu to remove his advisers. The party cannot accept such people who make irresponsible remarks that hurt the feelings of people. I am told that one of the advisers in question too has tried to clarify his stand. I will examine that and then decide on the next course of action,” Rawat said.

Asked if he had indicated to Sidhu that he will remove the advisers if he doesn’t, Rawat said, “Yes, I have said that otherwise, I will write a letter that they be removed.”

Four cabinet ministers – Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Charanjit Singh Channi – met Rawat in Dehradun on Wednesday, just a day after raising a banner of revolt against the CM.

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