*NEW DELHI – Former Indian cricketer and a sitting minister, Navjot SinghSidhu is in hot waters for hugging Pakistan army chief General Qamar JavedBajwa at the oath ceremony of new Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.*
Congress leader and Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu was slapped with asedition case on Monday by a lawyer in Bihar as he claimed that the gestureof Sidhu was tantamount to insulting the Indian Army.
Sudhir Kumar Ojha, known for indicting celebrities, filed the petition withMuzaffarpur’s chief judicial magistrate.
“I have urged the court to book Siddhu under IPC sections 124 A, 153 B and504 for hurting the nation’s sentiments and order for his arrest,” he said.Ojhasaid it was unbecoming of Sidhu to attend the celebrations in theneighbouring country at a time when the nation was mourning the death offormer prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Worse, he said, his actionsthere put India on a low beside causing insult to the Indian soldiers.
Ojha, who has lodged cases against celebrities including cricket stars,politicians and Bollywood actors over various issues, added the courtadmitted his plea and fixed August 24 as the next date for hearing in thecase.
The cricketer-turned-politician has been under attack by his boss Punjabchief minister Amarinder Singh as well as the opposition.
Singh said on Sunday he was “not in favour” of Sidhu hugging the Pakistanarmy chief. He also clarified that Sidhu’s decision to attend the ceremonyhad nothing to do with his government, and said thecricketer-turned-politician had gone there in his personal capacity.
Siddhu, on his part, clarified his stand on the controversial issues.