BRISBANE: More than 11,000 Sikhs voted in the second phase of the Khalistan Referendum at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre despite significant Indian cyber security mercenary strikes on the electronic voting devices.
The internet voting system was attacked three times by alleged Indian hackers, disrupting polling. The first attack shut down the system 30 minutes into voting. 30 minutes restored the system.
The SFJ noted the Indian state had done this before during European voting rounds. It claimed there was proof of Indian government cyberattacks on Sikhs.
Afterward, Outside the Exhibition Centre, large banners supporting Khalistan and Sikh rights read “Khalistan Referendum, Punjab, Shimla Capital” and “Secession of Punjab from India”.
After a massive turnout of over 50,000 in Melbourne at the end of January. The SFJ organised the second part of the referendum in Brisbane. Sydney will host the third and final Australian leg in June. The Punjab Referendum Commission (PRC) oversaw the SFJ’s voting on “Should Indian-Governed Punjab be an Independent Country?”
Modi’s attempt to hinder referendum
Moreover, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, SFJ’s General Counsel and New York-based solicitor, claimed Australian Sikhs have strongly opposed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attempts to hinder Khalistan Referendum voting in Australian cities.
Pannun stated: “The global Khalistan Referendum voting is setting the countdown for the final war for liberation of Punjab from the Indian occupation.”
Dr. Bakhshish Singh Sandhu, President Council of Khalistan claimed that the Indian Hindutva state had denied Sikhs even fundamental human rights. Hence Sikhs residing outside India were defiantly pursuing Punjab’s freedom from Indian occupation.
Switzerland, Italy, and two Canadian cities have held referendum voting since October 2021 in the UK’s seven cities.
The 2021 census reported 230,000 Sikhs in Australia, although local Sikhs estimate 300,000. 2016 saw 130,000 Australian Sikhs. The census 2021 estimated 700,000 Hindus in Australia. Melbourne has the most Sikhs, followed by Sydney and Brisbane.
