Referendum row: Khaira does a U-turn, says statement twisted

JALANDHAR: Under fire for his controversial remarks over support to “Referendum 2020”, a movement initiated by US-based advocacy group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) for a separate Sikh state in India, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Sunday said he does not support any such cause.

“This is propaganda by the Shiromani Akali Dal, BJP and Congress. My party fell into this well-planned trap,” Khaira told a press conference.

The statement came a day after Khaira faced flak from all political parties, including the AAP. Party’s co-president Dr Balbir Singh said on Saturday that they will take action against Khaira.

Claiming that his statement has been twisted, Khaira said the electronic media was trying to put words into his mouth. “One of the reporters of the print media published what I never said,” Khaira claimed.

“I ask the government to collect bites of my statements from the electronic media and show me where I was seen supporting the referendum. If found guilty, I will resign as an MLA and even quit politics,” Khaira said.

He said in 1992, the Akali Dal handed over a memorandum having signatures of Parkash Singh Badal to the visiting UN secretary general asking that Sikhs want right to self-determination. “Badal started this referendum in 1992, but he was never considered anti-national,” said Khaira.

Lashing out at CM Captain Amarinder Singh, Khaira said in 1994, during the reading of Amritsar Declaration in presence of Surjit Singh Barnala and Simranjit Singh Mann, Amarinder demanded an autonomous state of Punjab.

Responding to Khaira’s denial, SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia said the AAP leader had done a U-turn to save his chair. SAD leader and Anandpur Sahib MP Prem Singh Chandumajra asked Kejriwal to own up Khaira’s statement or sack him from the party.