Punjab Congress infighting: Navjot Kaur Sidhu responds to MP Sukhjinder Randhawa’s legal notice, here is what she said

Former MLA Navjot Kaur Sidhu has firmly rejected the legal notice issued to her by Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, calling it baseless and asserting that she stands by every statement she made. She warned that if Randhawa does not withdraw the notice, she will initiate legal proceedings of her own. Kaur said her remarks fall under the right to freedom of speech and are based on media reports.

On Tuesday, Randhawa—who is also the Congress’ in-charge for Rajasthan—served a legal notice to Kaur, demanding an apology for allegedly making defamatory allegations against him. The notice claims that on December 7 and 8, Kaur publicly accused Randhawa of engaging in corrupt practices, including the alleged distribution of party tickets in return for money.

“These statements were made without any evidence…and were intended to malign my client’s character,” the notice stated, adding that the Gurdaspur MP has always maintained high standards of transparency. The notice accuses Kaur of defamation under Section 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and demands an apology within seven days, to be published in the same media outlets where her remarks appeared.

The controversy follows the Punjab Congress' move on Monday to suspend Navjot Kaur Sidhu from the party’s primary membership over her “500-crore cash-for-CM” comment to be CM.

Meanwhile, more party leaders have taken legal action against her. Tarn Taran district Congress president Rajbir Singh Bhullar has also served her a notice for alleging that Congress candidate Karanbir Singh Burj paid Rs 10 crore to secure a ticket in the recent bypoll. He has threatened legal action if she does not retract her statement within seven days.

Similarly, Congress leader Anil Joshi announced plans to file a criminal defamation case after Kaur claimed he had paid money to join the party. “She should apologise for her remarks; otherwise, I will file a case,” Joshi said.

Earlier on Monday, Kaur told reporters in Patiala that although neither she nor her husband, former Punjab Congress chief and ex-cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu, had the money to pay for political posts, they could “transform Punjab into a golden state.” Last week, she said Sidhu would return to active politics if the Congress declared him its chief ministerial face for Punjab.