CALGARY: More than 55,000 Canadian Sikhs cast their votes in the Khalistan Referendum held at the Municipal Plaza voting centre in Calgary.
The event was dedicated to the memory of nine pro-Khalistan Canadian Sikhs who lost their lives in armed conflict with the Indian army.
The first vote was cast by the family of Shaheed Dilawar Singh Babbar Jai, who had assassinated the then Punjab chief minister Beant Singh in August 1995.
The referendum saw an outpouring of support from the Sikh community, with Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s family traveling from Surrey, British Columbia, to participate in the voting process.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, founder of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) and a New York attorney, addressed the crowd, vowing to intensify the Khalistan Referendum campaign across India, including a planned event at the Red Fort on August 15, India’s Independence Day.
Pannun said that the referendum campaign empowered every Sikh household with a “powerful bomb” that will only explode during the Khalistan Referendum voting, ultimately liberating Punjab from Indian occupation.
The SFJ’s campaign aims to mobilize Sikhs worldwide to demand independence and self-determination.
He said: “SFJ’s choice of weapon is vote while India’s Modi is using violence to stop Khalistan Referendum. At present pro-Khalistan Sikhs are not going to kill anyone in retaliation but SFJ is going to kill the Indian system that is responsible for genocide of Sikhs and econocide of Punjab. In 1929, it was Shaheed Bhaghat Singh who bombarded the Indian legislative assembly to liberate India from the British rule.”
Pannun said: “Khalistan Referendum campaign has shaken the foundations of India. We are expecting the Canadian govt to prosecute Indian diplomats, including High Commissioner Sanjay Verma, for the planning and killing of Shaheed Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The Sikh Sangat will continue to hold Verma accountable under the Khalsa justice.
Following Pannun’s speech, the Punjab Referendum Commission (PRC) head announced to the crowd that the next phase of Khalistan Referendum will take place in New Zealand in a few months.
Thousands of Sikhs queued from 4am till 6am at Calgary’s iconic Municipal to take part in the Khalistan Referendum voting for the creation of an independent state of Khalistan for the Sikh nation.
The nine Canadian national Sikhs assassinated by India for their political beliefs are: Shaheed Lakhbir Singh Rode, Shaheed Bhupinder Singh Kooner, Shaheed Harjinder Singh Para, Shaheed Talwinder Singh Parmar, Shaheed Surinder Singh Shinder Commando, Shaheed Balbir Singh Khaira, Shaheed Jathedar Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Shaheed Mohinder Singh Kooner and Shaheed Surinder Singh Ravi.
Sikhs who gathered outside the city hall were carrying flags of Khalistan. The road outside has been decorated with large posters of Sikhs who embraced martyrdom for the Sikh causes – and are revered by the Sikhs across the world.
The banners carried pictures of Sikh heroes and paid tribute to them.
Throughout the day, Calgary’s town hall echoed with slogans of “Khalistan Zindabad”, “Punjab banay ga Khalistan”, “Delhi banay ga Khalistan,” Rajasthan banay ga Khalistan”, Modi, stop terrorism against Sikhs”, India is a terrorist state”. The Sikhs said they will adhere to the principle set by their Gurus and will always look up the examples set by Sikhs freedom fighters, including Hardeep Singh Nijjar who was assassinated last year by the Indian agents in Surrey.
All the phases of voting in the Khalistan Referendum are being held under the guidance and supervision of a panel of non-aligned direct democracy experts from the Punjab Referendum Commission (PRC). The whole voting process from registration to supervision of ballot boxes and sealing of the ballots at the end of voting day is conducted by Commission’s approved third party staff to maintain the highest level of transparency.
The PRC is conducting the voting on the question of “Should Indian Governed Punjab Be An Independent Country?” with two options of “Yes” and No”.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Khalistan Referendum voting started on October 31, 2021 from London UK and has so far been held in several countries and cities across the UK; Geneva Switzerland; Rome and Milan (Italy); Australian cities of Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney; American city of San Francisco and Sacramento; Canadian cities of Brampton, Mississauga, Malton (Ontario), Surrey Vancouver (British Columbia) and now Calgary.
With additional input from APP.
