Rawat apologises for 'Panj Pyare' remark

Chandigarh: The Punjab Affairs incharge of the Congress Harish Rawat on Wednesday apologized for his comments comparing working presidents of the PPCC with Panj Pyare. In a series of two tweets today, Rawat said he had no intention to hurt the Sikh sentiments and it was wrong on his part to compare the working presidents with Panj Pyare.

The Congress leader said that he held the Panj Pyare in high esteem and had worked for the betterment of the places related to Sikhism in Uttarakhand.

He said that during his tenure as chief minister of Uttarakhand, he was instrumental in providing a road link between Nanakmata Sahib and Ritha Sahib gurdwaras, besides providing a smooth and safe journey for those visiting Hemkunt Sahib. On Tuesday, Rawat used the term in reference to Navjot Singh Sidhu and four other working presidents of PPCC resulting a lot of criticism. "Punj Pyare" is a term of reverence for Sikhs.