London: The US-based separatist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) planned pro-Khalistan rally ‘Punjab Referendum 2020’ have started in the United Kingdom’s capital London despite strong protest by India. The radical Sikh Leaders demand a separate Sikh state in Pro-Khalistan rally and will also ask people to support the referendum 2020.
London police on alert as people started gathering at Trafalgar Square in London to support pro-khalitan rally.
SFJ, a human rights advocacy group with radical leaning, plans to hold what it calls a “London Declaration” on an independence referendum for the Indian state of Punjab at Trafalgar Square in London today.
According to the Referendum website, “Punjab Referendum 2020 is a campaign to liberate Punjab, currently occupied by India. The campaign aims to gauge the will of the Punjabi people with regards to reestablishing Punjab as a nation state.” They further claim that once they establish consensus on the question of independence, the group will go to the UN “for reestablishing the country of Punjab”. This issue has emerged as a point of friction between India and UK.
Indian government have called the London pro-khalistan rally a separatists activity and chief minister of Punjab had also said that there are no takers for referendum 2020 in Punjab.