On The Day PM Modi Raised Khalistani Issue With Trudeau, SFJ Holds A Khalistan Referendum In Canada

As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the Khalistan issue with his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau at the G20 Leaders' Summit, secessionist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), the vote to gauge backing for Khalistan, an independent Sikh homeland within India, took place on Sunday at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in the Canadian province of Surrey.

It is the same location where former SFJ president Hardeep Singh Nijjar was fatally shot dead in June.

The group has claimed that over 1 lakh people attended the event, according to The Global News channel.

"The turnout tells us, and the wider community, that the issue of Khalistan is not an issue for a fringe group of people but rather... this is a deep-rooted issue that touches the hearts and minds of many Sikhs," DNA quoted Jatinder Grewal, a Sikh for Justice director, as telling the Vancouver-based news channel.

The outlawed Pro-Khalistani group had scheduled to conduct the voting process at the Tamanawis Secondary School, but a week prior to its planned date, the Surrey District School Board decided to cancel it "due to a breach of our rental agreement."

The reason provided was that the poster displayed images of the school alongside a depiction of an AK-47 rifle and a kirpan.

"Despite repeated attempts to address the issue, the event organisers failed to remove these concerning images, and materials continued to be posted throughout Surrey and on social media," the release noted.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday conveyed to his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau India's strong concerns about the continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada that were promoting secessionism, inciting violence against its diplomats and threatening the Indian community, according to a PTI report.

In his talks with Trudeau on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, Modi also mentioned that a relationship based on "mutual respect and trust" is essential for the progress of the India-Canada relationship, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

"The Prime Minister highlighted that India-Canada relations are anchored in shared democratic values, respect for rule of law and strong people-to-people ties," it said.

"He conveyed our strong concerns about continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada. They are promoting secessionism and inciting violence against Indian diplomats, damaging diplomatic premises, and threatening the Indian community in Canada and their places of worship," it said.

Asked about India's concerns over the increasing activities of the Khalistani elements in Canada, Trudeau said at a press conference that his country will always defend freedom of peaceful protest but at the same time asserted that it will always prevent violence and push back against hatred.

"Canada will always defend freedom of expression, freedom of conscience, and freedom of peaceful protest and it is extremely important to us," he said.

"At the same time, we are always there to prevent violence and to push back against hatred. I think on the issue of the community, it is important to remember that the actions of the few do not represent the entire community or Canada," Trudeau said.