AAP defends HS Phoolka, says he's regretted remarks on Amritsar blast

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Monday defended its Punjab leader HS Phoolka who waded into a controversy with his remarks on a grenade attack in Amritsar, saying he has already regretted it and should not be defamed.

Commenting on the grenade attack in Amritsar that claimed three lives, Phoolka had on Sunday told news channels that the Army chief came and made a statement. To prove his statement, he could have orchestrated the attack".

However, the AAP MLA Monday regretted his statement, saying it was "inadvertent".

"Please see the whole video. An inadvertent statement made standing on road is being blown out of proportion.I have stated that history is evidence of that fact that governments in the past have caused violence to further their interest (sic)," he had tweeted.

He said one should not reach a conclusion without detailed, impartial inquiry and regretted his remark.

"Like in last year's Maur blast, no one should reach a conclusion without detailed impartial investigation.Even a moderate person like me who has always been against Khalistan-think so. I regret statement that may have purported to be against the Army Chief (sic)," he said in another tweet.

The army chief had earlier this month said that attempts are being made through "external linkages" to "revive insurgency" in Punjab and Assam and if early action is not taken, it will be too late.

Senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh defended Phoolka, emphasising his role as a lawyer who fought for 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims.

"HS Phoolka has regretted his statement. He should not be commented upon and defamed. He should be given credit for fighting the anti-sikh riots cases for 35 years," Singh said.

Phoolka had resigned as the Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly last month, protesting over the state government's alleged "failure" to initiate action against former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and retired DGP Sumedh Singh Saini in sacrilege incidents.