Khalistan connections continue to haunt the Aam Aadmi Party. After the allegations of election funding from the hardliner Sikh groups, the party has courted a fresh controversy as one of the three hardliner Khalistani terrorists, arrested from Navanshahar and Hoshiarpur districts of Punjab, has been seen as actively working for AAP during the assembly elections.

AAP is in the dock after a new photograph surfaced which shows that the chief operative of banned Sikh body International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) Gurdial Singh is an active AAP activist, who worked for party's Gadshankar assembly constituency candidate Jaikishan Singh Rodi during the assembly elections and sought votes for him. The AAP MLA though has denied the allegations and has distanced himself but Gurdial Singh's photograph is self explanatory which shows Singh holding a poster in his hands along with the MLA's men.

"Gurdial Singh is neither a party activist nor holds any party post. We have no relationship with him. He might be in the photograph but I don't know him," Jaikishan Singh Rodi said.

However, Jaishan Singh Rodi's rival Akali Dal candidate Surender Singh Bhulewal who lost election confirmed that Gurdial Singh's activities were suspicious and worked for AAP during the elections from a booth.

"AAP's Khalistan connection is nothing new. It has been exposed a number of times for its relations with Khalistan terrorists. Gurdial Singh openly worked for Jaikishan Singh Rodi," Surender Singh Bhulewal said.

Gurdial Singh hails from Raud Majra village of Hoshiarpur district and was introduced to Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale's nephew Lakhbir Singh Rode, who heads the banned ISYF and is in Lahore, by a Germany based hardliner Balbir Singh Sandhu. According to the police Gurdial Singh paid several visits to Pakistan under the garb of a Sikh pilgrim during the past six-seven years. He had last visited Pakistan between November 12 to 21, 2016. He was also accompanied by another arrested terrorist, Jagroop Singh.

Both were trained by ISI and ISYF Chief Lakhbir Singh Rode and learned to handle AK-47 and other weapons during the four day training conducted at an undisclosed location.

Opposition BJP and Akali Dal have slammed Aam Aadmi Party for its alleged links with the hardliner Sikh militant groups.

"Arvind Kejriwal and his party has been exposed again for their links with Khalistani terror groups. First Kejriwal appeared in a poster asking people to pay homage to a militant who killed hundreds of innocent people. They sought money from hardliner groups and now one terrorist arrested two days ago has been found to be an AAP supporter. Kejriwal has been exposed time and again and should explain what he wanted to tell the people by hobnobbing with hareliners," BJP Secretary, Vineet Joshi told India Today.

Gurdial Singh (L) with the other two Khalistan terrorists. Gurdial Singh (L) with the other two Khalistan terrorists.

NOT THE FIRST TIME

This is not the first time that AAP's Khalistan connection has been exposed. Earlier in 2016, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on January 29 earlier this year had spent a night at the house owned by an acquitted Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) militant Gurinder Singh who is currently settled in England.

Gurinder Singh was allegedly a module of the KCF, which in 1997 had triggered a blast near a temple in Mandi Mustafa, Baghapurana area of Moga district. Arvind Kejriwal, AAP's Punjab chief Bhagwant Mann and Sanjay Singh besides others were also seen in the poster which was released on the birth anniversary of Khalistan militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale which made an appeal to the people to pay obeisance to 'Saint Bhindranwale'.

AAP was also accused of getting election funding from the hardliner Sikh groups. Party's former MLA Jarnail Singh was seen seeking donations from the hardliners in UK during 2011 and had also participated in a rally organised in support of Khalistan . Jarnail Singh in an interview had allegedly supported Khalistan movement.

When contacted AAP's former MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira said that the allegations against Gurdial Singh should be investigated.

"Unlike Akali Dal and Congress, AAP is transparent about its functioning. The allegations against Gurdial Singh, if he is an AAP worker is required to be investigated. It is yet to be investigated whether he is an AAP member or not," Sukhpal Singh Khaira said.

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