Sikh leader threatens to quit if AAP joins Congress-led alliance

AAP leader HS Phoolka has threatened to quit Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday if the Arvind Kejriwal-led party joins the anti-BJP front led by Congress ahead of 2019 General Elections.

HS Phoolka, senior AAP leader and senior advocate of Delhi High Court, said , "Issue of 1984 riots is most important for me, if there is any alliance with Congress it will mean Sikhs have forgiven Congress for 1984, something that cannot happen. If party (AAP) enters Congress-led alliance I'll tender resignation."

AAP leader shared the stage with Congress President and UPA chairman Sonia Gandhi during the swearing-in ceremony of HD Kumaraswamy in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

Phoolka, the AAP leader from Punjab has been representing the 1984 riots victims in various courts for over last three decades. In January, HS Phoolka demanded an investigation to find out if Rajiv Gandhi had any role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots after the assassination of his mother and then prime minister Indira Gandhi.

As per reports, around 2,100 Sikhs were killed in Delhi alone during the anti-Sikh riots. Seven hundred Sikhs died in other parts of the country in riots.

Supreme Court dorected the Centre to constitute a fresh Special Investigation Team (SIT) to monitor a probe into 186 anti-Sikh riot cases. Even NDA partner Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) welcomed the SC decision saying the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots were unable to get justice for 33 years.