Rahul is Captain's captain, he sent me to Pakistan: Sidhu 'counters' Amarinder

Hyderabad: Punjab Minister and Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday said that party president Rahul Gandhi had sent him to Pakistan for the groundbreaking ceremony of Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on November 28. He added that Rahul is also the captain of Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.

"My captain is Rahul Gandhi, he has sent me everywhere. Rahul Gandhi is also the captain of Captain Amarinder Singh (Mere captain Rahul Gandhi hain, unhone toh bheja hai har jagah. Hamare Captain sahab ke bhi Captain Rahul Gandhi ji hain)," Sidhu said.

#WATCH Navjot Singh Sidhu, Congress in Hyderabad: Mere captain Rahul Gandhi hain, unhone toh bheja hai har jagah (for #KartarpurCorridor). Hamare Captain sahab ke bhi Captain Rahul Gandhi ji hain' pic.twitter.com/XmagrUgfWw — ANI (@ANI) November 30, 2018

The cricketer-turn-politician gave a clarification on his recent visit to the neighbouring country even after Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had objected to his visit. He had on Wednesday visited Pakistan after he was invited by the country's Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Sidhu reiterated that he had to go to Pakistan as he had already promised them and said he had informed the Punjab chief minister. He also pointed out that the central leadership and atleast 20 Congress leaders had asked him to go to Pakistan.

PM Imran Khan inaugurated the opening ceremony of the facilities at the crossing on the Pakistan side on November 28. Kartarpur corridor promises to help Sikh pilgrims from India offer prayers at the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur on the banks of Ravi river in Pakistan.

The issue of Kartarpur Sahib came into focus after Sidhu visited Pakistan in August to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Imran Khan as the Prime Minister. During his visit, he was seen hugging Pakistan Army chief Bajwa, leading to a massive controversy. At the time, Sidhu had defended himself by saying that the Pakistan Army chief had told him about the opening of a corridor to Kartarpur Sahib, which led to the hug.

Earlier, the Indian government said it will develop and build the corridor from Punjab's Gurdaspur district to the International Border to facilitate Indian pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan's Kartarpur.