Union Minister absent, SAD blames it on Sidhu

Tribune News Service

Khatkar Kalan, March 23

Union Minister of State for Cultural Affairs Mahesh Sharma did not turn up for the inauguration of the Shaheed Bhagat Singh museum here on Friday. Akali MP Prem Singh Chandumajra, who had stated on Thursday that Sharma would do the honours, blamed Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu for the Union Minister’s absence.

Addressing the gathering during a parallel event organised by the SAD here, Chandumajra said, “After the state government announced that the inauguration would be done by the CM, I told Sharma that even though the project was started during UPA rule, it was after 2014 that about Rs 16.73 crore was pumped in. So, the minister agreed to come here.”

Chandumajra said Sidhu “misinformed” the minister that the inauguration programme had been cancelled and only a political conference would be held.

Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal also targeted Sidhu over the controversy. 

Refuting Chandumajra’s allegations, Sidhu said: “Through Additional Principal Secretary K Srinivasan, I sent emails to invite Mahesh Sharma, informing him about the timing of the inauguration and that Shivdular Dhillon (Director, Tourism) would receive him at the airport. At 6:40 pm on Thursday, we received an email saying that owing to official reasons, he would not be able to attend the event.”