Canadian Sikhs counter India’s transnational repression with Khalistan referendum vote

Thousands of Sikhs on Sunday queued up at Calgary’s iconic Municipal Plaza – opposite the local United States diplomatic mission – and took part in the Khalistan Referendum voting for the creation of an independent state of Khalistan for the Sikh nation.

Organised by the pro-Khalistan Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) group, the voting was held in Calgary to seek the opinion of Sikhs of Canada’s Alberta province on the creation of an independent state for Sikhs.

An estimated one million Sikhs reside in Canada and nearly 100,000 live in Calgary. Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s family was the first to cast their votes, surrounded by prominent Khalistan figures.

The SFJ leader announced that Calgary voting is dedicated to the nine Canadian national Sikhs assassinated by India for their support for Khalistan.

Those Canadian Sikhs are Lakhbir Singh Rode, Bhupinder Singh Kooner, Harjinder Singh Para, Talwinder Singh Parmar, Surinder Singh Shinder Commando, Balbir Singh Khaira, Jathedar Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Mohinder Singh Kooner and Surinder Singh Ravi.

At the start of the voting with Sikh prayers led by the local Sikh religious figures from Gurdawara Dashmesh Culture Centre, thousands formed long queues to cast their votes for the process that will last for the full day.

Men, women, youth, children and elderly gathered in the town from across the province to cast their votes for the non-binding referendum, which was aimed at seeking opinion of Sikhs from around the world, before presenting the final results to the United Nations.

Sikhs who gathered outside the city hall carried flags of Khalistan. The road was decorated with large posters of Sikhs who sacrificed their lives for the Sikh cause and are revered by the Sikhs across the world.

At the start of the voting, veteran Khalistani leader and President of the Council of Khalistan Dr Bakhshish Singh Sandhu said that Sikhs in Calgary set a new record by exercising their democratic right for Khalistan and sent a message to the world that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaign to assassinate Sikhs in the western countries was unacceptable.

He termed it as India’s transnational terrorism and oppression which warranted global sanctions against the state of India.

All the phases of voting in Khalistan Referendum were held under the guidance and supervision of panel of non-aligned direct democracy experts from the Punjab Referendum Commission (PRC).

The whole voting process from registration to supervision of ballot boxes and sealing of the ballots at the end of voting day was conducted by Commission’s approved third party staff to maintain the highest level of transparency.

The PRC conducted the voting on the question of “Should Indian Governed Punjab Be An Independent Country?” with two options of “Yes” and No”.

The Khalistan Referendum voting campaign is organised under the supervision of the independent Punjab Referendum Commission (PRC) which announces results when all phases are completed.

The voting started on October 31, 2021 from London UK and has so far been held in several countries and cities across the UK; Geneva Switzerland; Rome and Milan (Italy); Australian cities of Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney; American city of San Francisco and Sacramanto; Canadian cities of Brampton, Mississauga, Malton (Ontario), Surrey Vancouver (British Columbia) and now Calgary.