Sidhu begins 9-day ‘maun vrat’ during navratras

The former cricketer’s wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu, who is using his twitter handle, tweeted that Sidhu will not meet anyone for the next nine days and observe silence

: Former Punjab Congress chief Navjot Sidhu on Monday started a 9-day ‘maun vrat’ as part of fasting during the navratras at the Patiala central jail here, where he is serving one-year imprisonment in a road rage case.

Sidhu begins 9-day ‘maun vrat’ during navratras

The former cricketer’s wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu, who is using his twitter handle, tweeted that Sidhu will not meet anyone for the next nine days and observe silence.

“My husband will observe silence during the navaratri and will meet visitors after 5th of October,” she tweeted from Sidhu’s handle.

As per jail officials, Sidhu took his diet as advised by the doctor, but he remained in silent mode. He didn’t talk to anyone and communicated by writing or through sign language.

“He is cool and performing his rituals. He had told us that he used to hold fast in every navratri and even silence for few days every year. This is normal for him, but we are witnessing such fast for first time,” said a jail official.

Sidhu himself has said several times that he has strong belief in Goddess Durga and even frequently visits Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at Katra in Jammu.

Sidhu trying to evade court hearing: RTI activist

However, his detractors says that Sidhu opted for silence as a Ludhiana court had summoned him for recording of his statement in the court in which an important file pertaining to charges against former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu is missing during his tenure as minister.

“He is trying to evade his hearing, as he was set to face questions over the missing file. The court had summoned him for today,” said Kuldeep Khaira, an RTI activist of Ludhiana, who had moved a complaint in the case.

Sidhu had surrendered before a local court on May 20 after the Supreme Court awarded him one-year rigorous imprisonment.

During his stay at the Patiala jail, Sidhu has even accused a fellow inmate of using his cash card to procure their material from canteen, while the other prisoners who are lodged in same barrack accused Sidhu of misbehaviour. Following complaints of both parties, the jail administration has shifted the three inmates from Sidhu’s barrack to other places.

Meanwhile, Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh on Monday met former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu in the Patiala central Jail. ENDS