A purported video of Sidhu being welcomed by a Pakistani official on behalf of Imran Khan showed the Congress leader saying Khan was like a “elder brother” to him and that he loved him a lot

Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Saturday stoked a controversy after he referred to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan as “bada bhai” (elder brother) during his visit to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur.

A purported video of Sidhu being welcomed by a Pakistani official on behalf of Khan showed the Congress leader saying Khan was like a “bada bhai” to him and that he loved him a lot.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Sambit Patra called the reference a serious matter of concern for Indians.

“Rahul Gandhi’s favourite Navjot Singh Sidhu calls Pakistan PM Imran Khan his “Bada Bhai”. Last time, he hugged Gen Bajwa, Pakistan Army’s Chief, heaped praises. Is it any surprise that the Gandhi siblings chose a Pakistan loving Sidhu over veteran Amarinder Singh?” Patra said.

In 2018, Sidhu was criticised for hugging Pakistan army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa during Imran Khan’s oath ceremony when the latter became prime minister. Sidhu had attended the event as a special guest of Khan.

Sidhu dismissed the criticism by the BJP. “Let BJP say whatever they want...,” he told reporters at the border point in Gurdaspur.

The Congress leader, however, also came under criticism of his own party for his remark.

“Imran Khan may be anybody’s elder brother but for India, he is that cat’s paw of Pak Deep State ISI-Military combine that drones arms & narcotics into Punjab & sends terrorists on a daily basis across LOC in J&K. Have we forgotten the martyrdom of our soldiers in Poonch so soon?” Congress leader and Anandpur Sahib MP Manish Tewari tweeted.