Over 135,000 Canadian Sikhs have participated in the Khalistan Referendum, a vote organized by the US-based Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) group, which aims to establish Khalistan as a free and sovereign homeland for Sikhs worldwide.
The Khalistan Referendum voting campaign commenced in October 2021 in the UK and has since taken place in several European capitals. The highest previous turnout was recorded in Canada’s Brompton five months ago, but the recent vote in Surrey BC at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara surpassed all previous records.
The voting process was managed by several hundred staff employed by the independent Punjab Referendum Commission (PRC). However, the PRC had to close the voting at 5 pm, leaving over 40,000 people unable to cast their votes due to strict timing and international voting regulations. As a result, another phase of voting has been scheduled for October 29 in Vancouver.
Notably, the voting took place at the Gurdwara where prominent Sikh activist and Khalistan Referendum Canada’s President, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, was assassinated on June 18, 2023, an incident that pro-Khalistan Sikh groups have attributed to the Indian government.
On the day of the vote, thousands of local Sikhs formed long queues, carrying posters of Sikh martyrs and chanting devotional and political slogans in support of Khalistan. The Gurdwara was adorned with wall-sized posters of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who had served as its president before his tragic killing.
During the voting, SFJ General Counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun addressed the crowd and accused the Indian government of being directly involved in Nijjar’s assassination. He pledged that Sikhs would seek justice through political means, emphasizing their commitment to democratic processes.
Dr. Bakhshish Singh Sandhu, president of the Council of Khalistan, asserted that the massive turnout demonstrated the widespread demand for Khalistan among Sikhs. He also welcomed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statements regarding Indian interference in Canadian affairs and foreign interference allegations in general, highlighting the significance of scrutinizing countries beyond China.
Canada is home to a substantial Sikh population, with estimates exceeding 750,000, making it the largest Sikh community outside of India. Sikh groups claim that the actual number exceeds one million, comprising individuals who have left India to settle in Canada.
