Jalandhar: In a rare camaradarie, bitter rivals Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu and Akali Dal leader Bikram Majithia hugged each other at an all-party meeting in Punjab's Jalandhar on Thursday. The all-party meeting was called to express solidarity with the editor-in-chief of Daily 'Ajit' in view of summons to him by the ruling Bhagwant Singh Mann led AAP government.
As Navjot Singh Sidhu was addressing the event on the dias, Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia walked towards him. Seeing Majithia approaching him, Sidhu also reciprocated and the two warmly hugged each while patting each other's back. A video of the rare courtesy gesture is being widely shared on the Internet. In the video, Sidhu can be seen leaving the dias and hugging an approaching Bikram Singh Majithia.
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Later, in his address, Sidhu said he has no personal grudge against Majithia. The mutual differences are of ideology and party, which will remain in the future as well, Sidhu added. Sidhu said that the distance between political rivals should not be so much that it is not possible to shake hands. He said that he had maintained distance with Majithia over the years saying “it was my fault”.
“No matter what, when people face each other, they should at least be able to shake hands. I also have my differences (with Majithia), but they are political,” Sidhu said. The Congress leader and Akali's Majithia have been bitter rivals in the politics of Punjab with Sidhu publicly calling Majithia a 'cheetah merchant' and a 'drug trafficker' in the Vidhan Sabha.
Majithia used to taunt Sidhu by calling him 'Thoko Tali' over his famous one liner as judge of comedy shows. Meanwhile, at the Thursday's all-party meet, the opposition leaders condemned Bhagwant Mann's move to summon Barjinder Singh Hamdard, editor-in-chief of Daily 'Ajit' in a vigilance case. In a Twitter post, Sidhu said that the Indian Constitution in Article 19(1)(a) guarantees Freedom of press or media under the freedom of expression and speech.
“It encourages independent journalism and promotes democracy by letting people voice their opinions for or against the government's actions………. In punjab criticism of the government means “Vigilance Intimidation...,” he said.
