VANCOUVER — Pro-Khalistan Sikh community leaders firmly believe that India cannot stifle their voices, noting an exceptional tenfold increase in the community’s dedication to freedom, particularly among the youth, following Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s assassination here three months ago by the suspected Indian agents.
Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), which is running the Khalistan Referendum voting campaign worldwide, decided to hold the voting for Sunday (September 10) at Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara-Surrey Delta where Nijjar was assassinated and he was also President of the same Gurdwara. He was on India’s “most wanted” list and the Indian govt had seized his assets back home and registered dozens of false cases against him.
Dr Bakhshish Singh Sandhu, President of the Council of Khalistan, and Bhupinder Singh Hothi, Secretary-General of Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara-Surrey Delta, anticipated a substantial Sikh community turnout for the rights of Sikhs.
Dr Sandhu, President of the Council of Khalistan, highlighted that the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara is a special place for the Khalistan referendum, as it was the site where Hardeep Singh Nijjar, leader of the Canadian Chapter of Khalistan Referendum, assassinated by Indian agencies on June 18, 2023.
Dr Sandhu accused the Indian government of involvement in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent Khalistani activist who was Khalistan Referendum’s Canada President and also local leader of SFJ. Nijjar, aged 46, was tragically killed outside a gurdwara in Surrey, Canada. Notably, a reward of Rs 10 lakh was placed on his head, as declared by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) earlier this year. The NIA had levelled charges against him for his involvement in terrorism-related activities and his alleged role in waging war against India.
Dr Sandhu welcomed the decision of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to initiate public investigations into foreign interference, including those linked to India, expressing his satisfaction. During his visit to India for the G20 meeting, Justin Trudeau had previously announced in a statement that if granted the opportunity by Prime Minister Modi, he would address the issue of eliminating foreign interference in Canada.
In response to a question, Dr Sandhu pointed out that similar referendums have already taken place in countries like the UK, Australia, Italy, and Switzerland. Now, it’s happening in (another city of) Canada, where there is a significant Sikh population.
Bhupinder Singh Hothi, Secretary-General of Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara-Surrey Delta, confirmed that the Canadian police and intelligence services were investigating the killing of Nijjar. He said that Nijjar’s killing had further re-established the fact that the Indian Hindutva establishment didn’t like the Sikhs in any form and would go to any length to eliminate Sikhs. However, he said that Sikhs were more determined than ever before to fight for their separate homeland called Khalistan.
He expressed strong disapproval of the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar and pointed out that India’s assumption of suppressing the Sikh community’s voice was mistaken. He highlighted the remarkable tenfold increase in the community’s determination, particularly among the youth, to attain freedom.
