No takers for anti-India event: 'Pakistan-backed' Khalistan rally in London fails to draw a crowd

The event was organised by a New York-based lawyer, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who is known to be a close associate of many Sikh extremists like Jagtar Singh Tara of the Khalistan Tiger Force.

There have been speculations over Pakistan’s involvement in the rally, which became "official" when British-Pakistani Lord Nazir Ahmed spoke at the event. Ahmed was a member of the Labour Party, but was thrown out for indiscipline. He has been outspoken about his stand on "getting Punjab independence from India", and calls himself a sympathiser of Kashmiris and Sikhs.

The rally didn’t even find support from Sikh separatists residing in London, like Dal Khalsa. Jaswant Singh Thekedar, chief of Dal Khalsa, condemned Ahmed’s support to the issue.

“People like Lord Nazir say they support the cause of Khalistan and Kashmir. Who has given him the right to talk about Khalistan? They have misled people about the entire issue,” he added.

Meanwhile, many Indians gathered in Trafalgar Square and sang patriotic songs in retaliation to what was widely seen as a ‘Pakistan-backed’ event.

Pannun got political asylum in the UK and is wanted on terror charges in India. Many organisers of the rally have been linked to Pakistani intelligence agencies.

Thekedar called Pannun a Pakistani stooge. “No religious Sikh leader has participated in the event. Pannun has used this issue for publicity and has also spent a lot of money on it. They hired TV and radio stations. We believe Pakistan has spent all its money on this. These Sikhs are enjoying Pakistan’s patronage and we do not support this cause.”

A community leader of a Southall gurudwara was quoted as saying in a report, “It is very clear that the funding of this event is coming from Pakistan. These agencies are stoking anger among Sikhs against the Indian government over the events in 1984 in the hope that it will break India one day.”

SFJ’s vision for Referendum 2020

According to SFJ, India is currently “occupying” Punjab and Referendum 2020 will help liberate the state. Their website admits that this is not an official referendum, and the outcome is not legally binding on India.

To boost participation at their event, SFJ had promised assistance in visa processing to those willing to travel to London from Pakistan and Afghanistan, for the rally. They were also promised accommodation at a hotel in Southall for three days.

The rally found some supporters on social media, banking on similar separatist emotions from different parts of Europe. Catalonia’s demand for secession from Spain was taken as an example to draw parallels to the demand for Khalistan.