Thousands of Canadian Sikhs stood for hours in Ottawa on Sunday in icy winds and snow as they waited to take part in an unofficial “Khalistan Referendum,” with many holding bright yellow Khalistan flags, according to a Times of India report. Videos surfaced showing the Indian national flag being desecrated as aggressive anti-India slogans echoed through the crowd, according to footage shared by Canadian journalist Mocha Bezirgan and other clips circulating online.

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The event was reportedly organised by Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a group banned in India under the UAPA for its “subversive activities”. The vote held no legal authority, but it asked participants whether they supported the creation of a separate Khalistan state and the secession of Punjab from India.

Ottawa’s unofficial Khalistan referendum

SFJ said more than 53,000 Sikhs from Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec took part. They claimed the queue was around two kilometres long.  The group said families,  including newborns and elderly people using walkers, waited throughout the day, and voting didn’t stop even after the scheduled closing time.

Videos posted by Alberta-based outlet Media Bezirgan showed long lines outside the McNabb Community Centre, where voting took place from 10 am to 3 pm.  Police remained on site even as loud, aggressive slogans were shouted. SFJ’s general counsel, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, designated a terrorist by India, also addressed attendees through a satellite message.

The anger over Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in South Africa was clearly visible, with SFJ calling the timing “suspicious.” The protest took place on the same day, claiming it came amid rising pro-Khalistan mobilisation in Canada.

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Indian flag burnt, ‘Kill India’ slogans echo

 Videos from the site showed the Indian national flag being desecrated, which went viral online. One clip shared by UK-based user Navdeep Singh showed Khalistani supporters loudly shouting “Kill India” slogans and even waving swords as they tried to pressure bystanders who refused to support their cause.

Another user posted footage from the rally showing Khalistan supporters carrying flags and posters that glorified the 1984 assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. 

In the video, the crowd can be heard repeatedly chanting “Kill India” and burning the Indian flag. Canadian journalist Mocha Bezirgan shared clips from the scene, saying the Ottawa leg of the referendum ended with the desecration of the Indian flag and more violent chants.

The referendum happened at a time when India and Canada have just begun easing tensions after months of strained relations. Both sides have recently agreed to restart cooperation, including work on security and counter-terror intelligence.