Phase 2 of unofficial Khalistan referendum held in Canada’s Surrey; combined voter count crosses 2 lakh, claims SFJ
- The voting was held at the gurudwara in Surrey, outside of which pro-Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead in June.
The second phase of an unofficial Khalistan referendum, that was called by the radical group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), was conducted in Surrey town of Canada's British Columbia province on October 29.
The voting was held at Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, outside of which pro-Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead on June 18. Over 60,000 people turned up to vote in the referendum that seeks to establish a separate homeland for Sikhs in India, a spokesperson of the SFJ said, according to news agency IANS.
The gurudwara in Surrey, where the voting was held, is also the same location where the first phase of referendum was conducted on September 10.
The SFJ spokesperson claimed that the combined number of voters of first and second round of the referendum has crossed 2 lakh, the IANS report added. The outcome of such a referendum would not be legally binding upon any of the stakeholders involved.
Notably, the SFJ was outlawed by the Indian government in 2019. However, the group continues to operate in Canada.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the co-organiser of the referendum, told media that they are planning more rounds of voting in Abbotsford, Edmonton, Calgary, and Montreal in 2024.
India and Canada's ties hit rock bottom last month when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged a potential link of Indian officials in the killing of Nijjar in June.
New Delhi had rejected the allegations as “absurd and motivated”, and asked Ottawa to crack down on terrorists and anti-India elements operating from its soil.
The diplomatic row led India to suspend visa services for Canadians, as it cited the safety of its diplomats working in the North American nation.
However, India on October 26 resumed the issuance of visas to Canadians for business and medical purposes, and for attending conferences.
The easing of the visa ban came days after Canada said it was recalling 41 of its 62 diplomats in India. The decision came after the Canadian government said that New Delhi warned it would strip their diplomatic immunity – something Canadian officials characterized as a violation of the Geneva Convention.
Around 2 million Canadians, some 5 percent of the overall population, have Indian heritage. India is also Canada's largest source of foreign students, at roughly 40 percent.
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Business NewsNewsWorldPhase 2 of unofficial Khalistan referendum held in Canada’s Surrey; combined voter count crosses 2 lakh, claims SFJ
First Published:30 Oct 2023, 03:02 PM IST
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