The Sikh diaspora in Australia, during Khalistan Referendum, has overwhelmingly cast their votes in favour of a separate homeland in India for Sikhs

Australian chapter of Sikhs for Justice organized the referendum in Melbourne on Sunday.

According to the organization, over 55000 Sikhs voted for Khalistan Referendum in a strong show of defiance to the Indian govt’s attempts to stop the local Sikhs from taking part in the democratic voting system to raise demand for the creation of Khalistan in the Indian Punjab.

 The Sikhs For Justice further said around 60,000 Sikhs cast their votes, while , about 15,000 voters were unable to cast their votes due to time limitation. Men and women with the age bracket of 18 years or above were eligible to cast their votes.

Speaking on the occasion, local Sikh leader Gurminder Singh assured the voters, who could not cast their votes due to time constraints, that they will be given another opportunity to exercise their right to franchise at a given date and time to be announced soon.

Welcoming the turnout, Counsel General Sikhs For Justice Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said the first phase of Khalistan Referendum voting in Melbourne has established the fact that Sikhs are for Khalistan and will continue the peaceful and democratic process under the United Nations Charter to liberate Punjab from Indian occupation.

He said Khalistan is the only solution as successive Indian regimes from Indira Gandhi to Narendra Modi have committed genocide of Sikhs with impunity.

Earlier, BJP-RSS goons attacked the people, who gathered to participate in the referendum, and injured several voters.

During mid-day as thousands queued to vote for Khalistan Referendum, a group of Hindu men believed to be linked with the local BJP arrived outside the centre waving Indian flags to disrupt the voting process. However, Sikhs successfully repulsed the attack.