The air in Calgary was filled with spirited calls for justice and freedom as tens of thousands of Sikhs thronged the Municipal Plaza last Sunday to take part in what they called the Khalistan referendum, the fourth of its kind in Canada. The event was organized by Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), aimed at demonstrating the level of support within the global Sikh community for the creation of a sovereign Sikh state.
Atmosphere at the voting venue was electric, full of Sikh pride and unity, while heavy police presence was seen in downtown Calgary to ward off any untoward incident. In preparation for the event, the organizers had adorned streets leading to Municipal Plaza with Khalistan flags, while posters honoring the Sikh martyrs were also exhibited in the surrounding area. Sikh leaders from Gurdwara Dashmesh Culture Center led special prayers on the occasion, setting a solemn yet spirited tone for the event.
Dr Bakhshish Singh calls Indian PM’s ‘campaign’ against Sikhs abroad ‘transnational terrorism’
From early morning until evening, the voting saw an impressive turnout from Alberta’s Sikh community, which numbers around 100,000 out of Canada’s approximately one million Sikh population. The family of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, one of nine Canadian Sikh activists murdered on June 28 last year in Canada, were among the first to vote. Prominent Sikh leader Dr Bakhshish Singh Sandhu, who is also the president of the Council of Khalistan, hailed Calgary voters for participating in the referendum and said that the event relayed a powerful message to the world.
He also criticized the Indian prime minister, saying that Narendra Modi’s ‘campaign’ against Sikhs abroad was nothing less than ‘transnational terrorism’. The Punjab Referendum Commission (PRC) was tasked with ensuring the transparency, which included the entire voting process. The referendum posed a straightforward question: “Should Indian-governed Punjab be an independent country?” with voters choosing either “Yes” or “No.”
Talking to journalists, Punjab Referendum Commission Chairman Dane Waters said that the events were being organized in various parts of the world because the Indian government would never allow Sikhs to vote on the issue. “Well, around the world, the Sikh community is voting to declare independence from a certain part of India, the Punjabi (sic) province, and so around the world they’re engaging the diaspora to vote on whether or not they want to be independent of India,” he said in an interview to a local TV channel.
Now, he said that the reason they’re having to do it with a diaspora was because India as a country will not allow them to vote within their own community in Punjab for independence. Once all phases of the referendum are completed, the Punjab Referendum Commission will compile and announce the results of the unofficial and non-binding referendum. The results will then be presented to the United Nations to seek the global body’s support for an official referendum in India.
Earlier, rejecting the Indian government’s request to stop the referendum from taking place, Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek said that the City Council could not halt the event. She said the referendum was a legitimate democratic exercise, and that her office had no authority to sanction lawful gatherings. She remarked that the public could gather at the Municipal Plaza at any time, and that they were free to do as they wish.
Ian Fleming, Director of Corporate Properties and Buildings, echoed the same sentiment, stating that the plaza could be used by people and organizations without any permission, application, or permit as long as they adhered to guidelines for appropriate activities. The lead-up to the referendum was also very interesting, with thousands of Sikhs taking part in vibrant car rallies in Edmonton and other parts of Alberta since last week.
A similar rally was taken out last Friday from Gurdwara Dashmesh Culture Center in Calgary. More than 100 vehicles adorned with Khalistan flags and banners paraded through the city for at least three hours. The Sunday’s referendum was a big moment for Sikhs not just in Canada but around the world, as it brought attention to their issues and desire for self-determination and recognition of their political and cultural rights.
