Australian Greens Senator, David Shoebridge, has expressed his disappointment with the Australian authorities for canceling three venues reserved for Khalistan Referendum voting in Sydney.
Senator, David raised concerns about the potential influence of a foreign entity, the Indian government, pressuring Australian authorities and potentially infringing on the voting rights of local Sikhs. These rights are protected under Australian law.
Three venues had been secured for the Khalistan Referendum by Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), a pro-Khalistan organization. Despite the last-minute changes, the voting took place on July 4, 2023, in an alternative location, with over 31,000 Sikhs participating.
Shoebridge visited the voting venue to express his support for the Australian Sikh community and their democratic rights. He noted that numerous Khalistan Referendum events had successfully occurred in the UK, Canada, and Europe, and it was disappointing that Sydney was the only location experiencing such issues.
Australian Sikhs suspect that radical Australian Hindutva groups with ties to India’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), backed by the Indian government, are responsible for the venue cancellations. The groups allegedly wielded diplomatic influence, sent mass emails, and raised false security concerns to disrupt the event.
Despite the challenges, SFJ managed to secure a venue at a truck yard on Sterling Road, Michinbury, some 40 miles outside of downtown Sydney, where the vote took place under the supervision of the independent Punjab Referendum Commission. The vote was held to mark the anniversary of the 1984 Operation Blue Star Amritsar Genocide, in which Indian authorities killed thousands of Sikhs.
In the days leading up to the vote, Prime Minister Modi visited Australia, meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other government officials, urging them to halt the vote. However, the Australian government stated that while respecting India’s position, they could not deny their citizens their legal and democratic rights. This scenario revealed the complexities of international diplomacy and the delicate balance between respecting foreign relationships and protecting citizens’ rights.
