Modi is doing a lot to strip the artificial costume of democracy from India. Besides creating fresh crisis , BJP is skillfully reviving the older ones! Khalistan issue is not a new one ! However, transnation-killing drive through trigger happy state actors have snatched new shames.
17th August Khalistan Referendum in Washington DC is a clear message that all attempts sponsored by Indian state to silence the Sikh diaspora are failing. This phase of referendum is coming up in continuation of the previous one held in UK , Rome , Canada , Italy, Australia, Switzerland and New Zealand. The Khalistan movement is now led by over 25 million-strong global Sikh diaspora. So, the Washington referendum will mark another milestone in this democratic resistance. What started during Indira Gandhi era after notorious ‘Operation Blue Star’ in Indian Punjab has now transformed in a global freedom movement of Sikhs spearheaded by none other than the victims. Cost of desecration of Golden Temple and brutal massacre of Sikhs was quite heavy for the India! Retaliation came from two Sikh personal guards who shot the sitting PM Indira Gandhi for massacre in Golden Temple. Subsequent bloody riots led by violent Hindus and state crackdown on Sikhs laid the foundations of Khalistan movement. ‘Sikhs for Justice’ (SJP) organization represents those victims of state sponsored crackdown who had to migrate from their native lands in Indian Punjab. Huge number of Sikhs are expected to participate in the upcoming referendum in Washington. This reflects peaceful approach of the Sikh diaspora which has opted to retaliate the state sponsored violence with ballot. India under hateful rule of Modi regime is scrambling to subdue the freedom movement with transnational suppression, target killings, espionage, and propaganda.
The global response from courtrooms to parliaments, has increasingly exposed India’s undemocratic tactics to stifle Sikh voices demanding justice and self-determination. Two years back a jolting disclosure came from Canadian PM Justin Trudeau who mentioned about “credible links” of Indian state actors’ involvement in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijar, a dissident Khalistan movement front-runner. This triggered a major diplomatic rupture between Canada and India.
Later on, assassination of another vocal Khalistan activist Avtar Singh Khanda in UK, raised logical suspicions against India. This cold blooded murder was executed under mysterious but quite relatable circumstances . Sikh diaspora and human rights activists cite concerns over the pattern of obvious Indian involvement in eliminating Sikh leaders abroad. U.S. prosecutors charged Indian-linked operatives Nikhil Gupta, including RAW officer Vikas Yadav, in a foiled plot to assassinate Sikh for Justice leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
Australia’s ASIO uncovered a covert Indian operation stealing sensitive defense data and surveilling Sikh activists. Despite India’s denials, the evidence painted a disturbing picture of foreign interference and diaspora targeting. This exposed India’s coordinated global effort to silence referendum leaders through violence. India’s repeated attempts to extradite leaders like Gurpatwant Singh Pannun have failed in Western courts, which cited political motivation and insufficient evidence. This weakens India’s credibility on the global stage. Despite Indian pressure, tech platforms like Google, YouTube, and X (Twitter) refused to ban Khalistan referendum content. The global Sikh diaspora is leveraging digital platforms to expose Indian repression and mobilize voters. Referendums seeking freedom are such democratic exercises which are legally protected under international law, notably Article 1 of the UN Charter and ICCPR. To be more precise, Article 1 of the UN Charter and ICCPR enshrine the right to self determination.
Sikh diaspora groups argue their peaceful referendums fall within this legal framework, nullifying India’s malicious attempts to label them as “terrorist activity.” Intended establishment of a Sikh embassy in Canada by the affected diaspora would provide the freedom movement with new energy, global support, and moral edge on the diplomatic front.Australia, the US, and Canada have dismantled Indian intelligence operations targeting Sikh activists. Operatives surveilled, intimidated, and plotted against Khalistan supporters, violating sovereignty and civil liberties in democratic nations. Despite Indian disinformation aimed at branding of the Khalistan movement as terrorist activity, no UN member state has criminalized the referendums. Instead, democracies have considered Sikh peaceful resolve as expression of political freedom. India’s repression of Sikhs replicates British colonial tactics, maintaining tyrant control over minorities. Sikhs’ demand for Khalistan is a rightful resistance to colonial oppression.
Systematic silencing of dissent in Indian Punjab showcases growing fascism, curbing democratic rights and rebounding old authoritarian tendencies . State sponsored suppression of Sikh activism is gradually isolating and exposing India at global stage. This is happening alongside much talked about Islamophobia systematically spearheaded by Modi led BJP Sarkar across the India. Let’s see how thick skin BJP tackles the fresh episode of Khalistan referendum embarrassment in Washington on 17th August.