Punjab: Randhawa serves legal notice to Navjot Kaur Sidhu; turmoil in Congress escalates
The crisis in the Punjab Congress deepened a day after former MLA Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wife of cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, was suspended from the party for making anti-party remarks. Kaur again hit out at the state leadership, including president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, accusing them of misleading the high command. She claimed she remains in touch with the high command but would not support thieves. Meanwhile, senior Punjab Congress leader and Member of Parliament from Gurdaspur, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, served a legal notice on Kaur, asking her to apologize for making defamatory remarks against him or face legal action. Several other party leaders also criticized her. The legal notice served on Kaur by Randhawas advocate states: On December 7 and 8, you made false, baseless, and defamatory statements against my client during your media interactions, which were widely broadcast and reported across electronic media, print media, and social platforms. Specifically, you alleged that my client indulged in corruption while serving as the in-charge of Rajasthan for the Indian National Congress, including in the distribution of party tickets in exchange for monetary gratification. These statements were made without any evidence or basis and were intended to malign my client's character and reputation. The notice further states: My client has always upheld the highest standards of probity and transparency in his public and political roles. Your statements have no foundation in truth and were uttered recklessly, knowing fully well that they would cause irreparable harm to my client's reputation. It adds that Kaur's statements amount to defamation under Section 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. Your actions do not qualify under any exceptions to defamation as provided in the BNS, as they were not made in good faith, for the public good, or based on verifiable facts. Instead, they were deliberate attempts to defame and injure my client's standing. The notice seeks an unconditional public apology from Kaur for her defamatory statements. The apology must be published prominently within seven days in the same media outlets where the original statements were made. Failing compliance, my client shall be constrained to initiate criminal defamation proceedings against you under Section 356 of the BNS read with Section 222 of the BNSS before the competent court of law, including the court of Judicial Magistrate at Batala, it states. Reacting to the legal notice issued by Randhawa, who is also the partys in-charge for Rajasthan, over her corruption allegations against him, Kaur said, At present, I am reverting to Randhawa. He was a follower of my husband and is now speaking against me. I will pay him back in the same coin. She further alleged that Randhawa could not ensure his wife's electoral victory and accused him of openly selling tickets for crores of rupees in Rajasthan. She said she has sent evidence of this to the Congress high command. Kaur reiterated that she had spoken her truth. If the high command needs people who speak honestly at the ground level, they will understand. Kaur maintained that she remains in touch with the high command and will not compromise on her stance, claiming she has support from the AICC and 70 per cent of the Congress. The entire overseas Congress and high command leaders are with me. Seventy per cent of Punjab Congress is with me. I have spoken the truth; now the ball is in the high commands court, she said. Kaur added that she had apprised central leaders about her statements, which she claimed were twisted. I have told them that the Sidhus would not side with thieves. I do not consider Raja Warring the Punjab party president. There are fourfive leaders who are harming the party, and if the party wants to form a government in the state, it should sideline such leaders, she claimed. Regarding her controversial statement after meeting Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, Kaur said her comments were distorted by the media. She further alleged that those troubled by her statements own 10,000 acres of land in the Shivalik range and, in collaboration with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, want to legalize the land. She said she stands firmly against this. Kaur added that she had wanted to raise these issues with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, but before she could meet him, she received an appointment with the governor. I was hoping that Rahul Gandhi would address these issues and become the hero. He was misguided by people around him, resulting in a delay. Until then, I got my appointment with the governor. I wanted Rahul to give this presentation there because it is a matter of Punjabs victory, she said. Reacting to her suspension, Kaur said, This notice has been issued by a state president who has no legitimacy. Many such notices are issued. Discussions are taking place with the party, but we have one condition we will not support thieves. If we want to form a government, remove those who are destroying the party.
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