New Delhi: The BJP on Saturday lashed out at the cricketer turned politician and Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu for his ‘seating’ with Pak-Occupied-Kashmir President Masood Khan and ’embracing’ Pakistan army chief Gen QJ Bajwa at the Imran Khan’s oath taking ceremony.

BJP spokesman Sambit Patra addressing a press conference here said, “yeh koi sadharan bat nahi hae (This was no ordinary thing)” as Mr Sidhu is a key political leader of Congress party and is also an incumbent Minister in the Punjab government.

“We have serious questions for Congress president Rahul Gandhi,” Mr Patra said and asked whether Sidhu had taken his (Rahul’s) permission for his visit to Pakistan.

“Did you approve his visit and the conduct there…..,” Mr Patra asked Congress chief and wanted to know categorically if he did not approve Sidhu’s conduct at the Imran Khan’s oath taking ceremony what action Congress will take against him.

The BJP spokesman said Sidhu should have raised objections when “so called president of PoK Masood Khan” who was seated elsewhere was brought and made to sit next to Sidhu.

“Moreover, what is the justification of embracing Pakistan army chief Gen Bajwa when he is responsible for multiple deaths of Indians,” Mr Patra said.

The BJP leader made opportune use of the occasion and said even in past several Congress leaders including the likes of Salman Khurshid, Mani Shankar Aiyar, Saifuddin Soz and Ghulam Nabi Azad have made controversial statements vis-a-vis Pakistani role in Jammu and Kashmir and India’s own national interests and pride.

He said on November 13, 2015 – Salman Khurshid had said in Pakistan that Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not want ‘peace’.