Tension builds up in Canada's Brampton as people oppose referendum by Khalistanis

Rajinder S Taggar

New Delhi, Aug 27: Palpable tensions prevails in Brampton city of Canada's Ontario state, as the Khalistanis have launched a campaign to conduct a so-called referendum on the issue of creating a separate homeland for the Sikhs in India.

The activists of the banned anti-India organisation, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), are distributing fliers at the entrance gates of different Gurdwaras asking Indians, especially Punjabis, to participate in the "referendum" on September 18 at a community center in Brampton.

The move is being staunchly opposed by pro-India Canadians led by Azad Singh Goyat, an established community advocate and a politician.

Goyat has objected to the use of public property by Khalistanis who are putting up posters and fixing signboards to publicise the referendum date and venue.

"Illegal signs mushrooming on public property in Brampton need to be removed by the administration and the police. Why is the community leadership sleeping? Why is it not asking the government to curb the illegal actions of a handful of people?" says Goyat in a post on his Facebook page.

Goyat has issued an ultimatum to the administration and the police to remove the referendum campaign material from public properties by August 29, or else he will launch a people's direct action movement to remove these illegal signs.

However, Harjinder Singh Pahra, a Khalistani engaged in referendum activities, says that people like Goyat are trying to create confrontation in the community. "We are peacefully doing what we want to do. There is massive support coming for the referendum. No one will be forced to vote on September 18," he claims.

J.P.Pandher, a Punjabi journalist working for popular Omni TV says that the administration and the police can only act if there was a breach of peace from any of the two sides.

He agrees that Khalistanis can not legally use public property to publicise the referendum. They can only use private properties to paste and fix posters and signboards after taking the written consent of the proprietors.

It is common knowledge that the management of almost all Gurdwaras has slowly come under the control of radicals who with their muscle power win elections to form management committees. The Gurdwaras are then used to propagate anti-India views. The silent majority of the Sikhs find themselves helpless before armed Khalistanis who even indulge in violence against peaceful people opposed to them.

The SFJ had earlier conducted a "referendum" in some cities in the US and the UK. As expected the results declared by it show the majority favouring the creation of Khalistan. The purpose of the referendum is to collect data of voters supporting the creation of Khalistan and present it to the United Nations seeking its intervention.

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