As the upcoming Khalistan Referendum approaches, India has once again conveyed its dissatisfaction to Canada regarding the use of its territory for this purpose. The separatist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) is organizing the referendum, which is scheduled to be held at the Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha in the Malton area of Mississauga, within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
In the previous referendum held in Brampton last year, permission was granted to use a public community center. However, this time, similar space was denied for the event, according to an Indian official. SFJ claims that the referendum is being conducted in the GTA again to accommodate those who were unable to participate previously.
The voting center has been named after Mohinder Singh Kooner, a Canadian resident who was fatally shot by the Border Security Force in Rajasthan near the India-Pakistan border on July 15, 1989. Kooner had affiliations with the Khalistan Liberation Force and the International Sikh Youth Federation, both of which remain banned in Canada as terrorist organizations.
India’s High Commission in Ottawa has formally communicated its concerns to Global Affairs Canada, the country’s foreign ministry. High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma emphasized that the “illegal ‘referendum’ by Sikh for Justice” is a futile attempt to undermine the Canada-India relationship. He expressed confidence that millions of friends of India in Canada would peacefully counter this ill-intentioned move, as demonstrated by the Indo-Canadian community’s peaceful gathering in Toronto on July 8, which was a counter-demonstration to the pro-Khalistan rally.
Those opposing the Khalistani rally have also raised objections to the signs promoting the referendum appearing in the GTA. They have lodged complaints with municipal authorities, expressing concerns about the disharmony created within diaspora communities. Vijay Jain, who participated in a demonstration in Toronto, stated that they were reaching out to various levels of government to halt the encouragement of Khalistani activities in Canada.
A letter-writing campaign to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been initiated, stressing the potential divisions and spread of hatred caused by such referendums fueled by misinformation. Efforts are also being made to contact the Mayor of Mississauga, Bonnie Crombie, and city councillors to address this issue. SFJ claims that over 100,000 people participated in the 2022 Brampton referendum and anticipates a significant turnout for the upcoming event on Sunday.