Ontario: Sikh community living in Canada will take part in the 2nd phase of voting in connection with the Khalistan Referendum in tomorrow (November 6), in Ontario district.
General Counsel to Sikh For Justice (SFJ), Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, stated, “6 November voting is a journey of the Sikh community from being the victim of genocide to seeking independence through Khalistan Referendum
Sikh for Justice , spearheading the campaign for creation of Khalistan – separation of Punjab from India and declaring it a separate homeland for Sikhs – has announced its plan to hold phase II of the Khalistan Referendum voting on November 6 in Toronto to accommodate those who were unable to vote on September 18, 2022.
More than 110,000 Sikhs had voted on September 18 in a massive turnout while thousands were unable to vote as the voting ended at 5pm and it was not possible for the organizers to accommodate nearly 40,000 Sikhs who were still in queues as the voting ended.
On 29 October 2022, Khalistan Referendum Rally “1984 Sikh Genocide” was held in Toronto to highlight the genocide of Sikhs by Indian government in 1984 and the legitimacy of Khalistan movement.
In a report, Canadian Think Tanks have acknowledged Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), which is rightly campaigning to raise awareness and pressurize India to hold an official referendum on the creation of Khalistan. Despite India’s objection on the Khalistan referendum, Canada’s National Democratic Party (NDP) has announced its support for the democratic exercise on the Canadian soil, calling it the basic human right of Canadian Sikhs enshrined in the local and international laws.
Khalistan Referendum has drawn fierce opposition from New Delhi, Indian media and pro-India segments of Indian diaspora. Indian government has been attempting to label and equate the unofficial referendum on Khalistan as “terrorism” and has declared SFJ as an illegal organisation under the controversial Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) of India.
SFJ leader Pannu has already called for a referendum on Khalistan in India by 26 January 2023. He has urged the Sikh community to support the Khalistan referendum to create a Sikh homeland in “Indian Occupied Punjab”. If India is real democracy, it should accept the referendum results. The referendum result can be leveraged in ‘Lawfare Domain’ to ask India to hold an official referendum for the purpose.
It is to mention here that since the launch of the voting on October 31, 2021, from London, despite India’s protests, the governments in Canada, UK, Switzerland, and Italy have allowed the Khalistan Referendum to take place in which more than 500,000 Sikhs have voted, so far. Web Desk
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