More than 75,000 Canadian Sikhs participated in the Khalistan Referendum Phase II in Mississauga, casting their votes in support of the separation of the state of Punjab from India in order to establish a separate homeland for Sikhs, despite the government of Narendra Modi’s loud protests and vehement opposition from Canadian Hindutva groups.
The Punjab Referendum Commission (PRC) oversaw the polling, which began at 9 am. However, Sikh men and women from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) had been waiting in line to cast their ballots at the Paul Coffee Arena in Mississauga since 6 am.
A few Canadian Hindus who held Hindutva emblems and shouted that they would turn India into a “Hindu Country” under Modi’s leadership staged a counter-protest in response to the voting for the Khalistan Referendum on November 6.
“Today Canadian democracy prevailed and Modi’s fascism lost because Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Government stood with the Sikhs’ right to freedom of expression in the face of great pressure from all Indian corners,” said Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the General Counsel of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).
“After 110,000 votes on September 18 voting, 75,000 plus Canadian Sikhs once again proved their resolve to liberate Punjab from Indian occupation to create Khalistan in line with the aspirations of thousands of Sikh martyrs who have sacrificed their lives for this cause,” the New York-based attorney said.
India and Canada have been at war since the vote on September 18th. The travel warning was released by the Justin Trudeau administration precisely four days after India’s government had warned its students travelling to or living in Canada aggressively on September 23 that Canada had turned into a hotbed of pro-Khalistan and anti-Indian activities.
In an unusual action, Canada warned its people against travelling to any locations in the Pakistan-bordering states of Gujarat, Punjab, and Rajasthan owing to the “presence of landmines” and “unpredictable security situation.”
Arindam Bagchi, a spokesperson for India’s External Affairs Ministry, stated that India had expressed severe concerns to Canada on the Khalistan Referendum voting on September 18.
