SFJ announces another phase of Khalistan referendum

Emboldened by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement linking Indian agents to the killing of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the secessionist group Sikhs for Justice or SFJ is planning an ambitious series of the so-called Khalistan Referendum across Canada next year, to follow the next phase on October 29 in Surrey, British Columbia.

While the intention is not stated explicitly, the process will continue into 2025 when the next Federal elections in Canada are expected, so as to potentially influence those polls, particularly in the seat-rich Greater Toronto Area or GTA or Metro Vancouver regions.

The October 29 phase will be held at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, which was headed by Nijjar till he was killed on June 18. In fact, posters for the referendum have called the venue the Shaheed Nijjar Voting Centre.

SFJ is expecting a high turnout after the community felt empowered due to Trudeau’s statement. “Now they are more vocal, and they will be coming in the thousands in Surrey and in the future Khalistani voting centres,” SFJ’s general counsel Gurpatwant Pannun told the agency Canadian Press. The report cited Pannun as saying while many supporters of the Khalistani movement had been reluctant to voice their opinions over fear of being labelled a terrorist, they have confidence to speak out after Trudeau’s statement.

Separately in an emailed response to the Hindustan Times, he said, “PM Trudeau’s 18th September statement in the Parliament is Canada’s Referendum on SFJ’s question ‘Do you agree India is behind the Assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar’?”

He also said there were plans for multiple phases of voting in Canada, with several outside the traditional bases in the provinces of Ontario and BC. Those cities listed for 2024 are Calgary and Edmonton in province of Alberta, Montreal in Quebec, as well as Abbotsford in BC.

Voting is expected to be completed in 2025, and ballots for the non-binding referendum tallied later that year. Canada’s Federal elections are scheduled for September 2025.

Speaking in the House of Commons on September 18, Trudeau cited “credible allegations” of a potential link between Indian agents and Nijjar’s murder.

Both countries expelled a diplomat each. Last week, 41 Canadian diplomats were pulled from India after New Delhi said they would lose diplomatic immunity if they remained in station beyond Friday. Canada described it as the “mass expulsion” of its diplomats. India has argued it wanted “parity” in the number of diplomats. India also just resumed issuing visas to Canadians in some categories on Thursday after suspending the process on September 21.

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