Second Khalistan vote to be held in B.C. as Sikh diaspora members seek independent state in India
U.S.-based group 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 on Sunday.
The second stage of the vote is taking place at the Surrey, B.C., gurdwara where activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead on June 18.
Voting will take place at Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT. It is open to all Sikhs age 18 and over who have not yet voted on the matter.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the group's lawyer 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.
The previous vote on Sept. 10 came days before Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there were "credible allegations" of a potential link between the Indian government and Nijjar's killing.
The Indian government has denied involvement in Nijjar's death, calling the allegations "absurd."
A sign outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara temple is seen after the killing on its grounds in June 2023 of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Surrey, B.C., on Sept. 18, 2023. (Chris Helgren/Reuters)
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 from Washington, D.C., where he was en route to Vancouver for this weekend's vote.
Nijjar had been wanted in India for what authorities say were links to terrorism, including an alleged attack on a Hindu priest, an allegation Nijjar denied.
The vote has been on a world tour since 2021 with more events planned to tap into separatist sentiments in the Sikh diaspora.
Nijjar was also a key organizer of the Canadian referendums. Organizers have conducted votes in London, Melbourne, Rome, Geneva and in Ontario, which attracted thousands of people in Brampton last year, and thousands in Mississauga this July. The group's ultimate goal is to hold a vote in Punjab in 2025.
However, the vote is not legally binding in India.
