NEW DELHI: AAP senior leader and Punjab's in-charge Manish Sisodia on Wednesday asked Sukhpal Singh Khaira to submit a proper explanation of his statements on Khalistan referendum. The Aam Aadmi Party leader in Punjab seen to have crossed the line when he supported a referendum for creating Khalistan.
Khaira was last week seen to back the campaign for a referendum on Khalistan in 2020, giving other parties in Punjab a handle to attack AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal.
Pummelled for the comment, the AAP leader had then said that though he was not a votary of 2020 referendum seeking a separate homeland for Sikhs "but I don't hesitate to say that it is a result of a consistent policy of bias, discrimination and persecution of Sikhs ever since partition, be it attack on Darbar Sahib, genocide of Sikhs in 1984 etc!"
The reprimand appeared to have an impact. After
his meeting, Khaira said he had explained to Sisodia
that he was against the 2020 referendum. "I had never supported the referendum," he said.
Amid a barrage of criticism, Khaira had responded to Amrinder in a tweet, "I am surprised a leader of your level is tweeting against me without checking the facts, I am not a votary of 2020 but I don't hesitate to point out a consistent policy of discrimination against Sikhs by Central governments! Be it attack on Darbar Sahib (or), the genocide of Sikhs leading to 2020."
Union Minister and senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal had yesterday demanded that Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP should sack Khaira for supporting Sikh referendum campaign.
The AAP leaders in Delhi claimed Kejriwal was "very much angry" with Khaira who has "pleaded" that he was "misquoted" by media.
"His fate hangs in balance, the party may take a decision on him after receiving his written reply," they said.