Cong promoting Pak interests in India: BJP on Sidhu's visit

The BJP today lashed out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi over Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu's visit to Pakistan to attend Imran Khan's swearing-in, saying his party leaders are trying to promote interests of the neighbouring nation and that the party has opened a "Pakistan desk" in India.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra asked on whose behest Sidhu, a Congress leader, visited Pakistan.

Diplomacy is prerogative of the Centre, he said and wondered whether the Gandhi scion is trying to run a parallel government.

"It's sad that Navjot Sidhu has somewhat tried to implicate India by suggesting that India is responsible for current situation between the two nations. We condemn this. We want an answer on this not from Sidhuji but from Rahulji. Is Rahulji trying to run a parallel Govt?" Patra said.

Cricketer-turned-politician Sidhu visited Pakistan last week to attend the swearing-in of Imran Khan as Pakistan's prime minister.

Addressing the media here soon after Sidhu defended his visit at a press conference in Chandigarh, Patra took a dig at him over his argument that he visited Pakistan as a cricketer and not a politician, saying the gloves which he was wearing today were of a politician.

"Going to Pakistan was against ethos of India and even then Sidhu holds press conference to justify his visit to Pakistan. Our question is on whose behest (he visited Pakistan)...of course at the behest of Rahul Gandhi," the BJP spokesman said.

Referring to various "controversial" statements made by Congress leaders with regard to Pakistan-India relations, the BJP leader alleged, "There are people within the Congress party who are trying to promote the interest of Pakistan in India. It seems that party has opened a Pakistan desk in India."