When it comes to protocol, Navjot Singh Sidhu can unfurl a controversy or two. The Punjab local bodies minister, who presided over the Independence Day function at Ferozepur on Tuesday, took the guard of honour with three Congress leaders in tow, including former minister Inderjit Singh Zira, against protocol. This time, a breach in his presence has resulted in action against two policemen.

When it comes to protocol, Navjot Singh Sidhu can unfurl a controversy or two. The Punjab local bodies minister, who presided over the Independence Day function at Ferozepur on Tuesday, took the guard of honour with three Congress leaders in tow, including former minister Inderjit Singh Zira, against protocol. This time, a breach in his presence has resulted in action against two policemen.

According to protocol, the minister taking the guard of honour has to be accompanied only by the deputy commissioner and the senior superintendent of police (SSP), besides a police guard holding the salute. A picture of the event doing the rounds on social media shows how, besides the DC and SSP, former minister Zira, MLA Satkar Kaur, local Congress unit chief Chamkaur Dhindsa and a leader named HS Khosa boarded the open top Gypsy.

As a result, on Wednesday, DSP (city) HSDaud got a showcause notice and inspector Ranjit Singh was suspended for the protocol breach. DC Ramvir acknowledged the violation. “A probe to be completed within three days has also been assigned to the SSP,” he said.

It is not first time that Sidhu has fumbled on protocol. He had forgotten to shake hands with governor VP Singh Badnore after taking oath as a minister and had to be reminded to do so.