Congress star campaigner Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday urged the voters in Indore in Madhya Pradesh to free the country from the rule of “Kale Angrez” (Black Britishers) and “chowkidars” as he took a jab at the ruling BJP.
“Yeh Congress Mahatama Gandhi ki party hai, Maulana Azad ki party hai. Yeh Congress desh ko goron se Azadi dene wali party hai… Aur tum Indore walon ab Desh ko kale angrezon aur chowkidaron se azadi dilaogee… Apne vote ko chota mat samjho (Congress is the party of Mahatama Gandhi and Maulana Azad. This is the party that freed the country from the rule of colonisers… You, the people of Indore, will now free the country from the rule of Black Britishers and chowkidars. Do not underestimate the power of your vote),” the cricketer-turned-politician said.
The 55-year-old leader also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his speech on Friday. “The Chowkidar is only for the Ambanis. The country is under a debt of 32 Lakh crore and he is to blame. If a farmer takes a debt of Rs. 2 lakh, he takes a blank check but does not do the same for wealthy businessmen,” he said.
The Congress leader was served a second notice by the Election Commission on Friday over his speech in Bhopal last month where had accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of stealing money from government-controlled banks and called him “rashtra drohi” or traitor. Earlier this month, Mr Sidhu was served a notice by the election body for allegedly launching a personal attack on PM Modi at a rally in Ahmedabad on April 17.
On Friday, he also referred to the complaints with the election body against him. “You complain about what I say about you, but I never complain. Shehenshahs (kings) don’t complain,” he said.
Mr Sidhu, who is the tourism minister in the Amarinder Singh-led Punjab government, switched camp from the BJP to the Congress around three years ago. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi last month chose him to “extensively campaign” for the party in the national elections, he had announced in a tweet.
The last phase of the seven-phased national elections, which began on April 11, will be held on May 19; votes will be counted on May 23.
