Jaipur, Oct 2 (IANS): Congress' Rajasthan in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "defaming" Sikhs and "making Khalistan an international issue."

He said this on Sunday while talking to media at the Congress war room in Jaipur.

Randhawa said, "PM Narendra Modi first defamed Muslims and now he is defaming Sikhs. In such a situation where will the minority go? India is a secular state. We have given blood to this country."

Speaking on the issue of Khalistan, Randhawa said, "The subject, which did not become an international issue at the time of terrorism in Punjab, has been made an international issue by the Prime Minister."

Regarding India's ongoing dispute with Canada, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said, "Atal Bihari Vajpayee was also the Prime Minister of BJP, but he used to talk about India. The Prime Minister is the Prime Minister of the entire country. He should speak for the country. If there are elections then they come to Rajasthan and speak. If women are being tortured then can't they see it in Madhya Pradesh? By calling those who are not our citizens as Khalistanis, the PM is raising questions on Punjabis.”

Randhawa said, “The Prime Minister should talk about uniting the country and not about dividing Hindus and Sikhs. By saying this, the Prime Minister is speaking on the integrity of the Sikhs. Even today, when someone is martyred fighting Pakistan, the dead body of a Punjabi comes first. Are Punjabis not patriots? Why doesn't Prime Minister Modi speak about this? Does the PM want to defame us?"