Sydney, Australia: Greens Senator David Shoebridge has criticized Australian authorities for canceling three venues booked for Khalistan referendum voting in Sydney.
The lawmaker has expressed deep concern that a foreign country – the Indian government – has been able to use its pressure on Australian authorities through various means to deny indigenous Sikhs their fundamental right to vote. This right is protected by Australian law.
Senator David Shoebridge spoke after three venues were cancelled, booked by the pro-Khalistan Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) for the Khalistan referendum, yet voting went ahead and more than 3,1000 Sikhs voted on 4 July 2023. Participated in the voting. Center in Sydney.
Senator David Shoebridge visited the polling station to express his support for Australian Sikhs and their democratic right. He said: “I am here to present the position of Australian Sikhs, to express my support for their basic democratic human right to express themselves peacefully through the ballot box.
There have been dozens of Khalistan referendums in Britain, Canada and Europe, and this is the third in Australia. Sydney is the only place where venue after venue has been canceled after applying political pressure.
The legislator said that the Australian authorities are involved in violating the rights of Sikhs.
He said: “When we apply this kind of political pressure to prevent people from peacefully expressing their will at the ballot box, it is a fundamental attack on democracy. I am here to show solidarity with the Sikh community and I stand up for fundamental rights – the right to exercise our will at the ballot box in a democratic country like Australia. The right to vote is a fundamental Australian one. I think it’s very disturbing that this has happened.”
The Australian MP said Sikhs are in favor of seeking answers and justice for the 1984 Golden Temple Amritsar massacre.
Australian Sikhs alleged that extremist Australian Hindutva groups linked to India’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Sevak Sangh (RSS) were behind the cancellation of the three seats, but they did not stop voting in the Sydney Khalistan referendum. failed in their joint efforts.
Australian fundamentalist Hindutva groups used Indian diplomatic power to launch a massive campaign to block the Sydney Khalistan referendum from going ahead, sending mass emails and raising false security alarms and fears of violent terrorism. In their emails to the booking centres, Hindutva groups alleged that Sikh and Hindu groups would fight in public and that there could be bloodshed and public chaos if voting was allowed.
The pro-Khalistan group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) had booked Sydney’s Blacktown Leisure Center Stanhope for the June 4 “Martyr General Shabig Singh Voting Centre”, but the venue was canceled on May 12. The Sydney Masonic Center canceled the booking 10 days before the event. Organizers then booked the New South Wales Cropley House at Baulkham Hills, which management canceled just five days before the event due to security concerns.
24 hours before the event, organizers booked a truck yard on Stirling Road, Muchenbury, in a secluded area about 40 miles from the center of Sydney.
Demonstrating against Indian actions, thousands of Sikh men reached the Shaheed General Shabig Singh Khalistan Referendum Voting Center on Stirling Road, Michinberry, where they cast their votes under the supervision of the Independent Punjab Referendum Commission, which oversees referendums around the world. . Voting, Commissioned by SFJ.
More than 100 police officers from the New South Wales Police riot squad units picketed outside the venue amid fears of violence. There were policemen on horses and bikes and armed personnel to manage the venue. Police blocked three roads leading to the voting center to prevent any clashes.
The Sydney leg of the Khalistan referendum was held on the anniversary of the 1984 Operation Blue Star Amritsar Genocide when Indian authorities killed thousands of Sikhs during a bloody attack on Sri Harmandar Sahib (known as the Golden Temple). was given
Just two weeks before the Khalistan referendum vote in Sydney, PM Modi was in Australia where he met Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other government officials and urged them to stop Sikhs from going ahead with the vote, but the Australian government told Modi that the whole of Canberra. Respecting India’s position, it was not in a position to prevent its citizens from expressing their legal and democratic right. However, Australian councils cooperated with Indian diplomatic missions against the Sikhs.