Sidhu meets ‘mentor’ Rahul Gandhi and ‘guide’ Priyanka

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Thursday met his “mentor” Rahul Gandhi and “guide” Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Delhi for the first time after walking out of jail earlier this month. The cricketer-turned-politician, who appeared to have shed some weight, said his commitment to Punjab and his party leaders “will neither flinch nor back an inch.”

Taking to Twitter, Sidhu said, “Met my Mentor Rahul ji and Friend, Philosopher, Guide Priyanka ji in New Delhi Today. You can Jail me, Intimidate me, Block all my financial accounts but My commitment for Punjab and My Leaders will neither flinch nor back an inch!!”

On April 1, Sidhu walked free after spending nearly 10 months in Patiala jail in a 1988 road rage case and slammed the Centre, alleging that democracy is in chains and institutions have turned slaves in the country. He also claimed that a conspiracy is being hatched to impose the President’s Rule in Punjab.

The former Punjab Congress president described Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as “akhbari mukhmantri” for giving big ads in papers and criticised his government over law and order and poll promises.

He also slammed the AAP government for allegedly trying to delay his release from the Patiala jail by a few hours, claiming that it was “scared so much it does not want to listen to the truth.”

Immediately after coming out of jail, Sidhu launched an unsparing attack on the Centre and the Punjab government. “Whenever dictatorship came in the country, a revolution came and today, I say the revolution’s name is Rahul Gandhi,” Sidhu told reporters, adding that the Congress is fighting against oppression.

“Today democracy is in chains, there is nothing like democracy today. Institutions have turned slaves and these have been made rubber ‘ke gudde’ (dolls),” he alleged.

Taking inspiration from his ancestors, who played their role in the country’s freedom, Rahul Gandhi is breaking those chains, Sidhu said. “He is roaring like a lion and attempts are being made to suppress his voice and when the lion roars, that is echoing in America, Germany and in the entire world. Debate and dissent are the essence of democracy. It is the opposition role to raise issues, he said.