Toronto: Even as the separatist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) is scheduled to hold the next round of its so-called Khalistan referendum on July 28, India has expressed its displeasure to Ottawa over its territory being used for such separatist activities.
Pro-Khalistan elements protested outside the Indian consulate in Vancouver on Wednesday, beginning a 24-hour “picket” outside the mission. (Photo provided) {{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}}
India has also expressed concerns about the referendum being held in a public place, in this case a municipal facility. This view was officially conveyed by the Indian High Commission in Ottawa to Global Affairs Canada, the country's foreign ministry.
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While several signs have been put up in parts of Calgary where the referendum is taking place warning of the upcoming referendum, some of them have been spray-painted by unknown assailants and labelled as “illegal signs”, according to pictures obtained by the Hindustan Times.
This was also confirmed by SFJ General Advisor Gurpatwant Pannun, who said they had been “defaced” and “banners pierced”.
He said this happened over the weekend. “And they continue to do this wherever we put new ones up,” he added.
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The posters include images of Talwinder Singh Parmar, believed to be the mastermind of the June 23, 1985, bombing of Air India Flight 182 (Kanishka), which killed 329 people and remains the worst terrorist attack in Canadian history. Also pictured is Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the SFJ's chief organizer for the province of British Columbia, who was shot dead in Surrey on June 18 last year. Nijjar was considered a terrorist in India but was never charged in Canada. His killing led to a subsequent rupture of relations between India and Canada after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated in the House of Commons on September 18, 2023, that there were “credible allegations” of a possible link between Indian agents and the murder.
The venue for the July 28 referendum is the Calgary Municipal Complex Atrium and Plaza, which is owned and operated by the city.
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Calgary is led by Indian-Canadian mayor Jyoti Gondek.
The last time a government-run institution was registered for the referendum was Tamanawis Secondary School in Surrey, British Columbia. However, on September 3 of last year, a week before the scheduled date for the referendum, a spokesperson for the Surrey District School Board said in a press release that they had “cancelled the municipal lease of one of our schools due to a breach of our lease agreement.”
This referendum was finally held on September 10th last year at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey. Previously, it was organized on September 18th, 2022 at the Gore Meadows Community Centre, a municipal building in Brampton in the Greater Toronto Area or GTA.
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Meanwhile, the SFJ also launched a 24-hour “walkout” outside the Indian consulate in Vancouver on Wednesday afternoon, citing a Washington Post report that the consulate provided logistics and support for Nijjar's murder. Although four Indian citizens were arrested by Canadian investigators in connection with the case, no link to India could be established. Law enforcement authorities have, however, said they are still pursuing the investigation. India has called the allegations “absurd” and “motivated.”
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