Referendum 2020 row: Sukhpal Khaira hits back at Harsimrat Badal

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sukhpal Khaira, who has been accused of supporting controversial Sikh referendum 2020, on Wednesday said Union Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal should first reflect on what her father-in-law had said during the Operation Bluestar before pointing finger at him.

Khaira had last last week reportedly spoken out in support of 'Referendum 2020' which is propagated by Sikh radicals who seek a separate nation of Khalistan. Following this, Harsimrat Badal had demanded that Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP party should sack its Punjab MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira.

"Before speaking about me, Harsimrat Kaur Badal should know what kind of statement her father-in-law has given in the past. At the time of Blue Star operation, he gave an interview and instigated the youth of Punjab. They all died because of him," Khaira told the media today (June 20).

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has, meanwhile, distanced itself from the controversy. The ruling Congress in the state had asked AAP chief Kejriwal to make his stand clear and sack Khaira if he did not agree with his views, said reports.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had also criricised Khaira and said the AAP MLA was indulging in political antics without any sense of the history of Punjab or any realisation of the possible consequences of his statement.

Khaira, reacting to Amarinder Singh, tweeted, "I am surprised a leader of your level is tweeting against me without checking his 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, genocide of Sikhs leading to 2020."