VANCOUVER, CANADA: Record-breaking over 15,000 Canadian Sikhs cast their votes in the Khalistan Referendum within the initial two hours at Canada’s largest Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, the same place where Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) Canada leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar was assassinated on June 18 this year.
Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar was resurrected on Sunday morning as defying British Columbia’s freezing temperate, over 15,000 Canadian Sikhs voted in the first two hours as queues stretching to two kilometres waited to vote in Khalistan Referendum.
Canadian Prime Minister has accused the Indian government and its diplomats stationed in Canada of carrying out the killing of Nijjar who was leading the Khalistan Referendum campaign from the same Gurdwara where voting is taking place today.
US-based Sikhs For Justice is holding a second round of voting in British Columbia for its unofficial referendum to create an independent Sikh state in India. The second stage of the vote is taking place at the Surrey, B.C., gurdwara which has become the centre of attention after Nijjar’s murder. The voting will continue till 5PM, open to all Sikhs age 18 and over who have not yet voted on the matter.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the SFJ General Counsel and spokesman, said organizers are expecting “thousands” of voters after the first vote in September drew such large crowds that a second day of voting was deemed necessary.
Pannun says Canada’s allegations about India’s links to Nijjar’s killing have significantly bolstered vocal support for the movement for Khalistan.
“The community has really taken it to a point where they have formed the belief that if they do not come out in large numbers, these killings will continue,” Pannun said.
The previous voting on Sept. 10 came soon after Nijjar’s killing but at that time Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had not publicly said there were “credible allegations” of a potential link between the Indian government and Nijjar’s killing.
Outside and inside the Gurdwara, large banners hung 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.
