TORONTO: The referendum for Khalistan is being held in the Canadian city of Toronto today (September 18) in which the voters have come out in large numbers.
The referendum is aimed at seeking independence of Punjab from India in a peaceful manner.
Hundreds of members of the Sikh community including a huge number of women and elderly people are exercising their right to vote.
The voting process began with a special prayer.
The voters waiting in the queue said that the result of the referendum would make it clear to the world that the Sikh community wants freedom.
They said that the Indian Punjab would emerge as a separate country on the world map, adding that their freedom could not be seized by the Indian government through power.
Ahead of the referendum, tensions ran rife between the Sikh community and other Indian diasporas in Toronto which was prompted by the tearing of a poster of Sikh leader General Singh Bhandarwala by an Indian-Canadian national.The police had arrested the suspect.
Tensions also emerged at the state level when the Canadian government – in response to the Indian government’s request to stop the process – said that they could not deprive the Sikh community of their democratic right to referendum.
In this regard, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun – who is the general secretary of Sikhs for Justice – said that the Sikh community was doing a democratic struggle for its right.
