Bhopal, November 23: Senior Congress leader and Punjab Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu fired fresh salvo at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, charging him of acting as a "puppet of capitalists". Sidhu further added that the wave which swept Modi to power in 2014 has now turned "disastrous and poisonous" for the common man.

The remarks from Sidhu came in Bhopal, where he is scheduled to address multiple public meetings later in the day. The former cricketer-turned-politician, is one of the star-campaigners of the party in Madhya Pradesh -- which goes to polls on November 28. Need No Certificate of Patriotism From Those Accused in Godhra Riots: Sidhu.

"2014 ki Modi leher ab aam aadmi ke liye qehar ban gayi hai, zehar ban gayi hai. Modi Sahab sirf poonjipatiyon ki katputhli ban ke reh gaye hain (The Modi wave of 2014 has turned disastrous, poisonous for the common man. Modi is only a puppet of capitalists," Sidhu was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Responding to his criticism on hugging Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa during his visit to Islamabad in August, Sidhu said his actions played a key role in the opening of Kartarpur corridor -- for which the Sikh community has been petitioning since the last 7 decades.

Here's what Sidhu said on his controversial hug with Gen Bajwa:

This is Sidhu's second major counter within a week to the flak generated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on his Pakistan visit. While speaking to reporters in Chandigarh on November 17, the Amritsar MLA said he needs no certificate of patriotism from "those whose names propped up in Godhra riots".

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 23, 2018 12:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).