“In the month of November 2020, SFJ is going to hold voting for its unofficial Punjab Independence Referendum in 20 Canadian cities with a sizeable Sikh population including Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Edmonton,” stated attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal advisor to Sikhs For Justice. Pannu is in the crosshairs of the Indian government and intelligence agencies like RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) but there is also conjecture in the local Indo-Canadian community that he could also be part of the large contingent of Indian government double agents who have been secretly funded by them to create stir and volatility among Sikh community, especially the small extremist wing of the community. Others say that this is further propaganda by Indian government agents and sympathizers who are spreading such rumours to discredit the Sikhs For Justice movement. The grey area in these groups can make the issue cloudier than the thickest fog but is there really an appetite among mainstream and at large Diaspora Sikh community, where the young have no interest in these matters and most Sikhs want to live and practise peacefully abroad and be able to visit their homeland without being blacklisted.

By Mr. X – Special To DESIBUZZCanada

SURREY - Pro-Khalistan Group “Sikhs For Justice” (SFJ), which is spearheading “Referendum 2020 ” a global campaign to liberate Indian-governed Punjab,  held a press conference recently to open voter registration Centre named after former militant Sikh leader Talwinder Singh Parmar in Vancouver but are there many takers for this referendum.

The Group planned to demonstrate outside the Indian Consulate in Vancouver on Sunday, January 26 (tomorrow), which is also India's Republic Day. Sikhs For Justice said in a news release that it plans to burn the Indian constitution at the event tomorrow in downtown Vancouver.

SFJ legal team while addressing the British Columbia media during Dec. 18th “Meet The Press” stated “Bhai Parmar 2020 Voter Registration Centre” will be opened on January 23rd, 2020 ahead of India’s 71st Republic Day. SFJ had also planned to raise Khalistan flag at Consulate General of India, Vancouver on Jan 23rd and to march to the historic site of Komagata Maru Memorial Park but in a press release this week SFJ stated that both the demonstration and release of the Registration centre will be done on Sunday, January 26.

Parmar, a Canadian citizen and a Khalistan activist, was accused but never found guilty in the 1985 Air India bombing. He was killed extra judicially (nonsensically called encounter killings) in 1992 by the Indian security forces.

“In the month of November 2020, SFJ is going to hold voting for its unofficial Punjab Independence Referendum in 20 Canadian cities with a sizeable Sikh population including Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Edmonton,” stated attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal advisor toSFJ.

Pannu is in the crosshairs of the Indian government and intelligence agencies like RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) but there is also conjecture in the local Indo-Canadian community that he could also be part of the large contingent of Indian government double agents who have been secretly funded by them to create stir and volatility among Sikh community, especially the small extremist wing of the community.

Others say that this is further propaganda by Indian government agents and sympathizers who are spreading such rumours to discredit the Sikhs For Justice movement. The grey area in these groups can make the issue cloudier than the thickest fog but is there really an appetite among mainstream and at large Diaspora Sikh community, where the young have no interest in these matters and most Sikhs want to live and practise peacefully abroad and be able to visit their homeland without being blacklisted.

Meanwhile SFJ continues it’s worldwide action on the Referendum 2020. In addition to Canada, the Group said unofficial global referendum will hold balloting in approximately 100 cities worldwide among Sikhs on the question of whether Indian-held Punjab should be established as an independent and sovereign country - Khalistan.

To facilitate online voter registration, SFJ has launched the web portal www.yes2khalistan.org and a smartphone mobile app for the diaspora Sikh community. The portal and app will allow individuals to register themselves and obtain a voter number and card to participate in Referendum 2020.

 “Democracies all over the world have used the referendum to change laws, to resolve differences and on a bigger scale to consider sovereignty or independence,” said Jatinder Singh Grewal, Director International Policy, SFJ.  “Canada and the U.K. are two of the best examples of democratic states, which have allowed people the right to vote for independence”.

About Sikhs for Justice

*Sikhs **for Justice* is a not-for-profit organization that advocates for human rights, including the rights of Sikhs, and particularly, Sikhs’ right of self determination as enshrined in the UN Charter and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Mr. X is DESIBUZZCanada’s Special Correspondent at large who writes on special topics. His identity is kept secret at Mr. X’s request. If you want to be Mr. X – you are welcome to submit under that moniker and we will keep your identity secret.