Congress leader and Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu met pro-Khalistan leader Gopal Singh Chawla during his visit to Pakistan, for the ground-breaking ceremony of Kartarpur Sahib corridor. Chawla, a noted Khalistani hatemonger posted a picture with Sidhu on social networking site Facebook, triggering a row.
Reports of Sidhu meeting a prominent pro-Khalistan separatist leader emerged just hours after Gopal Chawla was seen shaking hands with Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa during the Kartarpur event.
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When asked, a Pakistani official said, Gopal Chawla is a senior leader of the Pakistan Sikh Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee (PSGPC), and he was invited to all events involving the Sikh community. Singh is the general secretary of the PSGPC and is known as a pro-Khalistan voice.
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Sources said Chawla was instrumental in denying access to Indian High Commission officials to two gurudwaras in Pakistan a few days ago.