AN UNOFFICIAL “Khalistan Referendum” held in Ottawa on Sunday saw participants allegedly desecrate the Indian flag and raise “kill” slogans against Indian politicians and government officials.
Videos from Alberta-based Media Bezirgan showed voters lining around the block at the McNabb Community Centre as police liaison officers stood nearby, The Times of India (TOI) reported.
Thousands of Canadian Sikhs took part in the non-binding vote organised by Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), which is banned in India under the UAPA. The referendum asked whether they supported creating “Khalistan” and for Punjab to secede from India.
SFJ said more than 53,000 Sikhs from Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, and Quebec queued for over two kilometres. TOI quoted the group saying, “From new-born children to seniors using walkers, families remained in line all day. Thousands were still waiting when the 3 pm closing time arrived, and voting continued to ensure they could cast their ballots.”
SFJ general counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, designated a terrorist by India, addressed voters via satellite.
SFJ also questioned Canadian PM Mark Carney’s meeting with PM Narendra Modi at the G20 summit in South Africa, where they discussed restarting CEPA negotiations.
Carney wrote on X, “Prime Minister @narendramodi and I met at the G20 Summit today, and launched negotiations for a trade deal that could more than double our trade to more than (C) $70 billion.”
The Khalistan campaign has long been a point of dispute between India and Western nations, and New Delhi continues to seek stricter action against the movement.
