Surrey: Voting for Khalistan Referendum began on Sunday at Canada’s largest Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdawara where a Sikhs leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar was assassinated on 18 June by the Indian agents.
This is the second round of the referendum as in the first round of the referendum, held on September 10, overall 135,000 votes were polled.
Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) holding the referendum
Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) is holding the poll while Punjab Referendum Commission is supervising the process.
According to reports a record number of over 15000 Canadian Sikhs voted in the first two hours of the referendum. The voting started at 9 AM local time and will continue till 5 PM is open to all Sikhs age 18 and over who have not yet voted on the issue.
Earlier Canadian Prime Minister accused the Indian government and its diplomats in Canada of assassinating Nijjar, a Canadian citizen who was leading the Khalistan Referendum campaign.
Defying British Columbia’s freezing temperate, thousands of Canadian Sikhs pour into polling station to cast their vote and waited in long queues.
The un-official referendum is aimed to create an independent Sikh state in India.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the SFJ General Counsel and spokesman told media that organizers are expecting thousands of voters to cast their votes.
He added Canada’s accusations about India’s links to Nijjar’s killing have significantly enhanced vocal support for the movement for Khalistan.
Large banners carrying pictures of “Enemies of Canada” with their names, Indian PM Narendra Modi, Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and Sanjay Verma, India’s High Commissioner to Canada hung outside and inside the Gurdwara.
Nijjar was also a main organizer of the Canadian referendums. Organizers have conducted votes in Geneva London, Melbourne, Ontario and Rome, which attracted thousands of people. The main objective of the group is to hold a vote in Punjab in 2025.
