A ‘referendum’ calling for an independent Sikh homeland by the pro-Khalistan group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) was held at Auckland’s Aotea Square on Sunday. The event in New Zealand has drawn criticism from the Indian community.
Local authorities allowed the referendum, citing New Zealand’s commitment to freedom of expression. A police spokesperson said that measures had been put in place to ensure public safety, in coordination with organisers and relevant authorities, reported NewsX.
However, leaders from the Indian diaspora have criticised the event, warning that it could cause discord and disrupt social harmony. Narendra Bhana, president of the New Zealand Indian Central Association cited he importance of unity and vigilance against “foreign influences” that could disturb the peace in the country.
“The Indian community here in New Zealand is united in its stance to reject all such external influences that may not align with the values of community and respect integral to the diverse cultures in this country,” Bhana had earlier.
New Zealand’s Sikh community, which makes up about one percent of the country’s population, remains divided on the Khalistan issue. While some support the cause promoted by SFJ, many others, including local Sikh organisations are distancing themselves from the movement.
The independent Punjab Referendum Commission (PRC) conducted the referendum, with Dr. Bakhshish Singh Sandhu, president of the Council of Khalistan and founding member of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), announcing that over 37,000 votes were cast.
After the SFJ announced the event in New Zealand, external affairs minister S Jaishankar raised the matter with New Zealand’s foreign minister Winston Peters during their meeting on the sidelines of the Raisina Down Under conference in Canberra on November 6.
SFJ, which has previously organised similar ‘referendums’ in cities across Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, has been a banned organisation in India since 2019.
Earlier, secessionist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) had announced plans to hold the next round of its so-called Khalistan referendum on July 28. In response, India expressed its displeasure to Ottawa over its territory being used for such separatist activities.
India also raised concerns about the venue for the referendum, which was a public space, specifically a municipal facility. These concerns were formally conveyed by India’s High Commission in Ottawa to Global Affairs Canada, the country’s foreign ministry.
