NEW YORK – Sikhs for Justice (SfJ), a New York-based advocacy group thatplans to hold what it calls a “London Declaration” for an independencereferendum for the Indian state of Punjab in the British capital on August12.
The SfJ has offered to sponsor Sikh students and activists from variouscountries, including Pakistan, to participate in the event.
The August meeting, which will be attended by Sikh from all over the world,is set to shape up the “London Declaration On Referendum 2020” campaignseeking a separate state of Khalistan, said SfJ in a press release.
India protested the convening of the pro-Khalistan rally in London convenedby what it called a “separatist” organization, but the U.K. government saidit has no plans to ban it so long as it is “within the law” and remainsnon-violent.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the legal advisor to SfJ, said that theorganization plans to provide sponsorship letters to participants fromabroad and also arrange the free stay for them from August 10-14, accordingto the press release.
The SfJ that has initiated a social media campaign for the meeting atLondon’s Trafalgar Square proposes to unveil the declaration advocating forSikhs’ right to self-determination for the independence of Punjab.
The SfJ asked interested overseas students and activists to Whatsapp theirIDs and passport details to provide them a sponsorship letter to attend themeeting, which would be necessary to obtain a visa.
“The aim of this event is to raise awareness around the members of thecommunity, the Sikh people call for self-determination and promote thenon-binding referendum that SfJ will be holding in 2020,” said Pannun.
“The event will be attended by thousands of Sikhs from across the UK,Europe, North America and Australia,” he added.