- Nijjar's family arrives in support of Calgary referendum.
- The next phase of the Khalistan referendum will be held in New Zealand.
- Thousands of Sikhs participate in the Khalistan referendum.
CALGARY, CANADA: More than 55,000 Canadian Sikhs voted in Calgary's Khalistan referendum at the Municipal Plaza polling station, dedicated to nine pro-Khalistan Canadian Sikhs who were killed by the Indian Army in an armed conflict.
The first vote was cast by the family of Shaheed Dilawar Singh Babbar Jai, the human bomber who assassinated the then Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh in August 1995.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar's family traveled from Surrey, British Columbia, in a show of support for the Calgary referendum.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the New York lawyer and founder of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), addressed the crowd and vowed to “bomb the 15th of August, Independence Day, with the Khalistan referendum campaign from the Red Fort to Ranchi.”
Pannun said the SFJ, through a global referendum campaign, has equipped every Sikh home with a “powerful bomb that will only explode during the Khalistan referendum vote to free Punjab from Indian occupation.”
“The choice is yours: either kill your enemy or kill the Indian system,” Pannun asked the roaring crowd of thousands waiting to cast their votes in the Khalistan referendum.
He said, “SFJ’s weapon of choice is the vote, while India’s Modi is using violence to stop the Khalistan referendum. At present, pro-Khalistan Sikhs are not going to kill anyone in retaliation, but SFJ is going to end the Indian system that is responsible for the genocide of Sikhs and the econocide of Punjab.
“In 1929, it was Shaheed Bhaghat Singh who bombed the Indian Legislative Assembly to free India from British rule.”
Pannun said: “The Khalistan referendum campaign has shaken the foundations of India. We expect the Canadian government to prosecute Indian diplomats, including High Commissioner Sanjay Verma, for planning and killing Shaheed Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
“The Sikh Sangat will continue to hold Verma accountable before the Khalsa justice system.”
Following Pannun's speech, the Punjab Referendum Commission (PRC) chief announced to the crowd that the next phase of the Khalistan Referendum will take place in New Zealand in a few months.
Thousands of Sikhs queued from 4am to 6am at Calgary's iconic City Hall to take part in the Khalistan referendum, voting for the creation of an independent state of Khalistan for the Sikh nation.
The nine Canadian Sikhs killed 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 in front of the town hall carried Khalistan flags and decorated the street with large posters of Sikhs who embraced martyrdom for Sikh causes and are revered by Sikhs around the world.
The banners carried images of Sikh heroes and paid tribute to them.
Throughout the day, slogans such as “Khalistan Zindabad”, “Punjab banay ga Khalistan”, “Delhi banay ga Khalistan”, “Rajasthan banay ga Khalistan”, “Modi, stop terrorism against Sikhs”, “India is a terrorist state” resounded at Calgary City Hall.
The Sikhs said they will adhere to the principle laid down by their gurus and always look to the examples set by Sikh freedom fighters, including Nijjar.
Veteran Khalistan leader and Chairman of the Khalistan Council, Dr Bakhshish Singh Sandhu, said the turnout had surprised everyone.
“At one point, the queue stretched for almost four kilometres. This is a measure of the desire of the Sikhs to be free from India,” he said.
All phases of voting in the Khalistan referendum are being conducted under the guidance and supervision of a panel of non-aligned direct democracy experts from the People's Republic of China.
The entire voting process, from registration to monitoring of the ballot boxes and sealing of the ballots at the end of voting day, is carried out by external personnel approved by the Commission to maintain the highest level of transparency.
The People's Republic of China is holding a vote on the question “Should Indian-ruled Punjab be an independent country?” with two options: “Yes” and “No”.
Voting for the Khalistan referendum began on October 31, 2021, from London, UK and has so far been held in several cities across the country.
The vote was also held in
- Geneva, Switzerland)
- Rome and Milan (Italy)
- Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney (Australia)
- San Francisco and Sacramento (United States)
- Brampton, Mississauga, Malton, Surrey Vancouver and Calgary (Canada).
