ISLAMABAD: Around 60,000 Sikhs voted for Khalistan Referendum in a strong show of defiance to the Indian government’s attempts to stop local Sikhs from taking part in the democratic voting system to raise demand for the creation of Khalistan in Indian Punjab.

The independent observer Sikhs For Justice, the organizing group, said the total number of Sikhs who cast their votes stood between 55,000 and 60,000 by the time the doors were closed by the centre management as well the Punjab Referendum Commission (PRC), while a large queue was still in place outside stretching from the voting centre all the way to the Flinders Street Station.

While nearly 60,000 Sikh men and women over the age of 18 were eligible to cast their votes, an estimated 15,000 voters were unable to cast their votes due to time limitation. There was a stampede when those standing in the queue crashed the entrance gate and made their way to the voting hall to cast their votes in the last 10 minutes. Thousands more stood outside in queues waiting to get in but stopped by the PRC members as time to extend voting was not allowed.

A local Sikh leader Gurminder Singh said in his speech to those waiting outside that they will be able to participate in the voting for their homeland of Khalistan in a separate voting date, which will be announced in due course. He regretted that thousands waited in queues and had to be turned back due as the voting ended at 5pm.

Published in The Daily National Courier, January, 30 2023

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