AUCKLAND  -  Over 37,000 Sikhs exercised their right to vote in the Kha­listan Referendum held here for the creation of an independent Sikh state of Khalistan within India. The independent Punjab Referendum Commission (PRC) is conducting the referendum. Dr Bakhshish Singh Sandhu, the President of Council of Khalistan and founding member of Sikhs For Justice, announced that the total votes cast were over 37,000. The referendum was held in Auckland’s Aotea Square on Sunday, where thousands of Sikhs thronged to the venue to cast their votes, prompting the organizers to extend the voting time by one hour.

Dr Bakhshish Singh Sandhu told thousands of supporters of Khalistan in his speech: “The Indian govt had lobbied against the voting and had asked New Zealand to ban Sikhs from tak­ing part in the voting but the local authorities approved the referendum and clarified instead that New Zealand is a country committed to freedom of expres­sion. Throughout the day, thou­sands of Sikhs chanted slogans for the creation of Khalistan and accused the Indian govt of be­ing involved in Sikh genocide and transnational oppression against Sikhs. They have shown how much love there is for Kha­listan in the hearts of Sikhs.” After the Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) announced the event in New Zea­land, the matter was raised by S Jaishankar, India’s minister of external affairs, with NZ Foreign Minister Winston Peters during their meeting on the sidelines of the Raisina Down Under confer­ence in Canberra on 6 November.

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the Counsel General of SFJ, told the audience at the conclusion of the referendum that Sikhs had ter­rified the Indian state through peaceful voting process and the Hindutva state has resorted to terrorist means to punish Sikhs for seeking their homeland. “No other option is acceptable to Sikhs other than liberation from India. It’s either freedom or mar­tyrdom.” The Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) chief announced a bounty of 1 million dollars for anyone who shares intelligence on Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s for­eign trips – and held him respon­sible for authorising the “terror campaign” against Sikhs. He said that Sikhs have decided to take on the Hindutva violent ideology by all means possible and the campaign to do so has started from Ayodhya, the birthplace of violent Hindutva ideology.

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said: “Sikh Sangat in their thou­sands have cast their votes today to liberate Sikhs from the Indian occupation. This is a democratic way of seeking freedom but the terrorist Modi govt is trying to stop Sikhs through bullets and terrorism. Shaheed Bhai Hard­eep Singh Nijjar was martyred in Canada inside the Gurdwara on orders of the Indian govt.