The Khalistan vote!
THE rise of Narendra Modi’s Hindutva regime has increasingly been defined by majoritarian nationalism, shrinking democratic space and the systematic silencing of minorities.
For India’s Sikh community, this repression has gone global. From assassinations of activists to covert espionage networks abroad, New Delhi’s campaign reflects a disturbing mix of authoritarianism and impunity. Yet, Sikhs worldwide are responding not with violence, but with democracy. Washington DC has hosted the latest Khalistan Referendum, organized by Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) on 17th August, 2025. Thousands have participated and reinforced the message that against India’s bullets, Sikhs place their faith in ballots.
The referendum in Washington follows earlier phases held in the UK, Canada, Italy, Australia, Switzerland and New Zealand since 2021. Each event has been peaceful and conducted under Article 1 of the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights (ICCPR), which recognizes the right of all peoples to self-determination. Despite India’s persistent labeling of the Movement as “extremism,” no democratic nation has declared these referendums illegal. Instead, many analysts see them as a legitimate form of political expression.
India’s aggressive tactics against Sikh activists abroad have repeatedly made headlines. In June 2023, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed “credible allegations” of Indian involvement in the killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The disclosure triggered a diplomatic crisis between Ottawa and New Delhi. Around the same time, UK-based activist Avtar Singh Khanda died under suspicious circumstances. Sikh organizations openly questioned whether this, too, was linked to India’s covert operations. In the US, federal prosecutors charged Indian national Nikhil Gupta and senior RAW officer Vikas Yadav over a foiled plot to assassinate SFJ leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
The indictment revealed a broader campaign targeting Sikh leadership globally. Despite India’s lobbying, tech giants Google, YouTube and X refused to censor referendum-related content. Sikh activists have used these platforms to mobilize support and expose Indian repression worldwide. Courts in the US, UK, and Europe have also dismissed India’s repeated extradition requests for Sikh leaders, calling them politically motivated. These decisions not only weakened New Delhi’s legal case but also further dented its credibility. Western intelligence agencies have openly confronted India’s covert activities. Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) unmasked a RAW-linked network engaged in espionage and monitoring Sikh activists. Similar findings in North America highlighted India’s systematic attempts to intimidate communities abroad, sparking comparisons with colonial-era suppression tactics.
Modi’s Hindutva ideology reflects a broader fascist drift, where dissent is criminalized, minorities are vilified, and democracy is hollowed out. By branding Khalistan activists as “terrorists,” India attempts to delegitimize a peaceful, ballot-based movement.
The August 17 referendum in Washington is expected to mark another milestone for the Khalistan movement. Sikh leaders insist their demand is not rooted in violence but in democratic rights. The message to India is clear: global repression cannot erase the Sikh nation’s call for self-determination. Each vote in Washington is both a rejection of Modi’s Hindutva authoritarianism and an affirmation that the future of Khalistan will be decided by ballots, not bullets.
—The writer is an alumnus of QAU, MPhil scholar and a freelance columnist, based in Islamabad.
