'Referendom 2020': SAD says Congress playing with fire

Chandigarh : With the 'Referendum-2020' controversy propped up by Sikh separatists refusing to die down, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Monday said the Congress was playing with fire.

The SAD said it was clear that 'Referendum-2020' organizers were hand-in-glove with anti-national elements who were working to destabilize the country as part of the 'Operation Express' of Pakistan's ISI.

The pro-Khalistan Referendum-2020 is reportedly planned by US-based radical Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).

Former minister Bikram Singh Majithia accused the Congress of "repeating the mistakes made by Indira Gandhi" by supporting the protest led by jathedars propped up by it at Bargari in Faridkot.

He demanded an inquiry into all cases of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court.

Majithia said CBI should inquire into the foreign funding being received by 'Congress agents', who are controlled by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency.

He said it was high time the Congress realized that its "self-orchestrated drama could go out of hand because it is being funded by the same people who are supporting Referendum 2020".

He said reports have already proved that Referendum 2020 has been code-named Operation Express. "It has also been proved that money is being funneled into this operation from Germany by prominent radical elements," Majithia said, quoting media reports.

The Akali leader said if things were allowed to continue like this, there was real danger of destabilization of Punjab.