Khalistan Referendum

Last updated

Khalistan Referendum
Part of the Khalistan movement
Banner of the Khalistan Referendum
Date31 October 2021 – present
VenueFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
TypeReferendum
ThemePotential creation of an independent Sikh state
WebsiteReferendum2020.org

The Khalistan Referendum is an unofficial non binding referendum organized by the Sikhs for Justice across multiple countries regarding the potential creation of a separate Sikh state from within the territory of India. [1] The proposed state will include Indian Punjab, as well as Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and several districts of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. [2] Its goal is to seek a consensus among diasporic Sikhs for the creation of a nation-state to be called Khalistan. [3]

Contents

Background

Map of Khalistan proposed by the Sikhs for Justice Map of Khalistan.png
Map of Khalistan proposed by the Sikhs for Justice

Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), which was banned in India in 2019, intends to conduct the referendum in Punjab and major cities worldwide. The Indian government has accused Canada of permitting extremists to carry out activities that are "deeply objectionable" and "politically motivated," which pose a threat to India's integrity. While Canadian authorities have defended the exercise as an exercise of freedom of speech the Khalistani campaign has become a contentious issue in the relationship between New Delhi and Ottawa. There are numerous cases registered in India against the SFJ and its founder, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. [4] [5] [6] In India, politicians in Punjab say the Khalistan movement there has been practically nonexistent for decades. [7] [8]

Referendum by country

United Kingdom

On 31 October 2021, about 30,000 Sikhs took part in the first phase of the Khalistan referendum in London. [9] [1] A similar referendum was held in London in November 2021 with campaigners claiming that some 10,000 people participated. [10] On 9 January 2022, the cities of Leeds and Luton hosted the eighth round of the Khalistan Referendum. [11]

Switzerland

On 10 December 2021, over 6,000 Sikhs from Switzerland and neighboring France, Italy, and Germany converged in Geneva to vote in the non-binding Khalistan referendum despite a heavy snow and rain storm. [12] [13]

Italy

On 4 July 2022, on the initiative of the advocacy group Sikhs For Justice, about 62,000 Sikhs participated in the Khalistan referendum in Rome. [12] [14] [15]

Canada

On 19 September 2022, according to reports, 110,000 people participated in the Khalistan referendum in Brampton. [1] The referendum results were not disclosed by SFJ. A second referendum was held on 10 September 2023 at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia. [16] On 29 October 2023, a third referendum round was held, again in Surrey. [17] [18] [19] [20] The group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) claimed that combined voter count crossed 200,000 (2 lakh). On 28 July 2024, a fourth round of referendum was held in Calgary, according to media reports 55,000 people participated in referendum. [21]

Australia

On 29 January 2023, the Australian chapter's referendum for Khalistan's independence was held in Federation Square in Melbourne. [22] The referendum results were not disclosed by SFJ some sources cited that over 31,000 people participated in referendum. The referendum was marred by violence, with two Sikh activists detained after two people were injured in a brawl at a polling station. [23] [24]

United States

On 28 January 2024, about 127,000 people cast their ballots in the American phase of Khalistan Referendum held at Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco, California. [25] On 31 March 2024, second phase of referendum was held in Sacramento, California. where around 61,000 people participated. [26]

New Zealand

On 17 November 2024, thousands attended a referendum in Auckland's Aotea Square and the total votes cast were over 37,000. [27] In early November 2024, Indian Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar had raised concerns with New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters about the planned Auckland referendum. [28] [29]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khalistan movement</span> Sikh separatist movement in the Punjab region

The Khalistan movement is a separatist movement seeking to create a homeland for Sikhs by establishing an ethno-religious sovereign state called Khalistan in the Punjab region. The proposed boundaries of Khalistan vary between different groups; some suggest the entirety of the Sikh-majority Indian state of Punjab, while larger claims include Pakistani Punjab and other parts of North India such as Chandigarh, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. Shimla and Lahore have been proposed as the capital of Khalistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dal Khalsa (organization)</span> Radical Sikh outfit

Dal Khalsa is a Sikh organisation, based in the city of Amritsar. The outfit was formed in 1978 by Gajinder Singh, the hijacker of Indian Airlines Flight 423. It came to prominence during Insurgency in Punjab along with Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in 1981. Members of the Dal Khalsa have also been accused of the assassination of Lala Jagat Narain. The primary aim of Dal Khalsa is to form a Punjabi Sikh nation state called Khalistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ontario Gurdwaras Committee</span>

The Ontario Gurdwaras Committee is an independent, non-profit organization representing over 20 gurdwaras—Sikh places of worship—located in Ontario and Quebec. It organizes such events as the annual Khalsa Day parade in Mississauga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinduism in Canada</span>

Hinduism is the third-largest religion in Canada, with approximately 2.3% of the nation's total population identifying as Hindu in the 2021 census. As of 2021, there are over 828,000 Canadians of the Hindu faith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sikhism in Canada</span> Religious community

Sikhism is the fourth-largest religious group in Canada, with nearly 800,000 adherents, or 2.1% of Canada's population, as of 2021. The largest Sikh populations in Canada are found in Ontario, followed by British Columbia and Alberta. As of the 2021 Census, more than half of Canada's Sikhs can be found in one of four cities: Brampton (163,260), Surrey (154,415), Calgary (49,465), and Edmonton (41,385).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sikhism by country</span>

Most of the 25–30 million followers of Sikhism, the world's fifth-largest religion live in the northern Indian state of Punjab, the only Sikh-majority administrative division on Earth, but Sikh communities exist on every inhabited continent. Sizeable Sikh populations in countries across the world exist in India (20,833,116), Canada (~771,800), England (~520,100), the United States (~280,000), Italy (~220,000), and Australia (~210,400), while countries with the largest proportions of Sikhs include Canada (2.12%), India (1.72%), New Zealand (1.07%), Cyprus (~1.1%) England (0.92%), and Australia (0.83%).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sikhism in Italy</span> Religious minority in Italy

Italian Sikhs are a growing religious minority in Italy, which has the second biggest Sikh population in Europe after the United Kingdom (525,000) and sixth largest number of Sikhs in the world. It is estimated that there are 220,000 Sikhs in Italy, constituting 0.3% of the total Italian population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sukhdev Singh Sukha</span> Sikh militant and convicted assassin (1962–1992)

Sukhdev Singh Sukha was a Sikh militant and one of the two assassins of Arun Vaidya. He was responsible for three high-profile assassinations; Arjan Dass, Lalit Maken and Gen. Vaidya. He along with other members of Khalistan Commando Force participated in Indian history's biggest bank robbery of ₹ 57 million from Punjab National Bank, Miller Gunj branch, Ludhiana to finance the militancy for a separate Sikh state of Khalistan.

The Punjabi diaspora consists of the descendants of ethnic Punjabis who emigrated out of the Punjab region in the northern part of the South Asia to the rest of the world. Punjabis are one of the largest ethnic groups in both the Pakistani and Indian diasporas. The Punjabi diaspora numbers around the world has been given between 3 and 5 million, mainly concentrated in Britain, Canada, the United States, Western Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">India–New Zealand relations</span> Bilateral relations

India–New Zealand relations are the interactions between India and New Zealand. Both these countries were once part of the British Empire. There are approximately 175,000 people of Indian descent in New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sikhism in New Zealand</span>

New Zealander Sikhs number over 53,000 people and account for 1.1% of New Zealand's population as of 2023, forming the country's fastest-growing and fifth-largest religious group. New Zealand has the world's third-largest Sikh proportion behind Canada (2.1%) and India (1.7%). While there are Sikhs in all sixteen regions of New Zealand, over half of Sikhs lived in Auckland Region in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Asian Canadians in Greater Vancouver</span> Ethnic group

South Asian Canadians in Metro Vancouver are the third-largest pan-ethnic group in the region, comprising 369,295 persons or 14.2 percent of the total population as of 2021. Sizable communities exist within the city of Vancouver along with the adjoining city of Surrey, which houses one of the world's largest South Asian enclaves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sikhism in Greater Vancouver</span> Religious community

Sikhism in Greater Vancouver is one of the main religions across the region, especially among the Indo-Canadian population. The Sikh community in Vancouver is the oldest, largest and most influential across Canada, having begun in the late 19th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sikhs for Justice</span> United States-based Sikh separatist group

Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) is a United States-based Sikh secessionist group advocating for the creation of a Sikh homeland called Khalistan by carving Punjab and some parts of the neighbouring states of Haryana, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh out of India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amritpal Singh</span> Indian Sikh leader (born 1993)

Amritpal Singh Sandhu is a radical Indian pro-Khalistan separatist, a self-styled Sikh preacher and politician. He is a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha representing the constituency of Khadoor Sahib since 2024.

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is a Canadian-American lawyer and a socio-religious activist who is one of the main leaders of the Khalistan movement. He is also the legal advisor and spokesperson for Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), which aims to promote the creation of Khalistan as a separate Sikh state.

In March 2023, pro-Khalistan Sikhs protested across the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Punjab, India, against the manhunt of the pro-Khalistan separatist Amritpal Singh and crackdown on his organisation Waris Punjab De, carried out by the Indian authorities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hardeep Singh Nijjar</span> Canadian Sikh separatist (1977–2023)

Hardeep Singh Nijjar was a Canadian Sikh involved with the Khalistan movement, which calls for an independent Sikh state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara (Surrey)</span> Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia

The Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara is a Sikh place of worship in Surrey, British Columbia. It gained notoriety in the aftermath of the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the temple's president since 2019 and a Canadian Sikh who advocated for the Khalistan movement.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "What is the Khalistan referendum, and why is India is so concerned about Canada?". Independent.co.uk . 23 September 2022. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  2. ↑ Sikhs for Justice releases new map of Khalistan, Express Tribune, October 23, 2021
  3. ↑ "What is the 'Khalistan referendum' and where does Australia stand on the issue?". SBS Language. Archived from the original on 2023-03-22. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
  4. ↑ "Australia tells Modi it can't stop Khalistan Referendum voting". 19 March 2023. Archived from the original on 19 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  5. ↑ "Sikh diaspora will vote to establish separate Sikh state in India". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 25 January 2023. Archived from the original on 19 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  6. ↑ "60,000 Australian Sikhs vote for Khalistan Referendum". 29 January 2023. Archived from the original on 29 January 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  7. ↑ Alleged Plot to Kill Sikh Separatist Highlights Thorn in India’s Side, Sameer Yasir, New York Times, Dec. 1, 2023
  8. ↑ Why is India so worried about Sikh separatist calls for Khalistan?, Rhea Mogul, CNN, October 6, 2023
  9. ↑ "8th phase of Khalistan Referendum being held in UK cities today". www.radio.gov.pk. Archived from the original on 2023-03-22. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
  10. ↑ "What is the Khalistan referendum, and why is India is so concerned about what's happening in Canada?". www.independent.co.uk. 23 September 2022. Retrieved 2023-09-23.
  11. ↑ "8th phase of Khalistan Referendum being held in UK cities today". www.radio.gov.pk. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  12. 1 2 "Over 200,000 Sikhs take part in Khalistan referendums". The Express Tribune. 2022-09-29. Archived from the original on 2023-04-07. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
  13. ↑ "Over 6,000 Sikhs in Geneva vote for Khalistan Referendum despite snowstorm". www.geo.tv. Archived from the original on 2023-03-22. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
  14. ↑ "Sikhs hold referendum in Italy for creation of Khalistan". www.thenews.com.pk. Archived from the original on 2023-02-10. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
  15. ↑ "Over 200,000 Sikhs take part in Khalistan referendums". The Express Tribune. 2022-09-29. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  16. ↑ "'This is not a fringe movement': Tens of thousands turn out for Khalistan vote held at Surrey gurdwara | Globalnews.ca". Global News.
  17. ↑ "SFJ announces another round of Khalistan referendum". hindustantimes.com. 14 September 2023. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  18. ↑ "Phase 2 of unofficial Khalistan referendum held in Canada's Surrey; combined voter count crosses 2 lakh, claims SFJ".
  19. ↑ "SFJ announces another phase of Khalistan referendum".
  20. ↑ "Khalistan Referendum event held at gurdwara in Canada's Surrey town".
  21. ↑ "Over 55,000 Canadian Sikhs take part in Calgary Khalistan Referendum". www.geo.tv. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
  22. ↑ "Khalistan referendum to take place in Australia on Sunday". The Express Tribune. 2023-01-28. Archived from the original on 2023-03-22. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
  23. ↑ "Brawl breaks out over Khalistan referendum in Australia; India raises concerns with authorities". The Indian Express. 2023-01-30. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  24. ↑ "Amid Hindutva threats, venue cancellations to stop Khalistan Referendum, 31000 Australian Sikhs vote in Sydney". 2023-06-04. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  25. ↑ Mujaddid, Dr Ghulam (2024-02-03). "America and the Khalistan Referendum". Stratheia. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  26. ↑ "Over 200,000 American Sikhs vote in Khalistan referendum in California". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  27. ↑ "Auckland 'referendum' on Khalistan attracts thousands". RNZ . 18 November 2024. Archived from the original on 18 November 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  28. ↑ Sharma, Gaurav (8 November 2024). "Khalistan 'referendum' in Auckland discussed at top diplomatic levels". RNZ . Archived from the original on 18 November 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  29. ↑ "Over 37,000 Sikhs vote in New Zealand Khalistan Referendum". www.geo.tv. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
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