Ottawa: Amidst the ongoing diplomatic dispute between India and Canada, the anti-India agenda in Canada continues to persist. Sikh for Justice (SFJ), an anti-India organization flourishing in Canada, has once again organized a referendum for a separate country, Khalistan. SFJ claims that more than two lakh people have voted in the two referendums held so far.
According to Report, this was the second phase of the informal Khalistan referendum organized by the radical group Sikh for Justice. The referendum took place on October 29 in Surrey, a city in the British Columbia province of Canada. The SFJ spokesperson stated that more than sixty thousand people participated in this referendum.
Notably, a similar referendum was held on September 10, 2023, at the same Gurudwara. This event occurred while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the G-20 summit, had expressed concern to his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau about the anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada.
The significance of this referendum organized by Sikh for Justice lies in the fact that it was held at the same Gurudwara where Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead in June 2023. In September, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of involvement in Nijjar's murder, leading to the expulsion of senior diplomats from both countries and escalating tensions.
The SFJ spokesperson has claimed that the total number of voters in the first and second phases of the referendum now exceeds two lakhs. It's important to note that the Government of India declared SFJ an illegal organization in 2019 and banned it under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
Despite opposition from India, SFJ continues to operate in Canada, carrying out anti-India activities. The notorious Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, who organized the referendum, has announced plans to hold referendums in Abbotsford, Edmonton, and Montreal in 2024.
The demand for Khalistan, a separate Sikh state, has been a contentious issue. Sikh for Justice, formed by migrant cab driver turned attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannu in 2007, initially claimed to seek justice for the victims of the 1984 riots. However, the Indian government banned the organization in 2019.
In 2020, SFJ announced plans to hold a referendum among expatriate Sikhs in 2020 regarding the separation of Punjab from India. In October 2021, SFJ released a map of Khalistan, which included not only Punjab but also districts from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan. This map outlined a proposed Khalistan that encompassed various regions beyond Punjab, inciting controversy.
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