As India celebrates August 15th as its Independence Day, Sikhs across the globe are reminding the world: India’s freedom came at the cost of Punjab’s subjugation. For Sikhs, August 15th is not a day of independence, but a day of occupation.
On August 17th, in Washington D.C., thousands will gather for the Khalistan Referendum — a democratic expression of the Sikh community’s demand to liberate Punjab from Indian occupation. This peaceful, ballot-based movement gives Sikhs the chance to declare their vision of a sovereign homeland, free from the decades of oppression and violence they have endured.
The referendum shines a spotlight on India’s long history of atrocities against Sikhs:
- Over 30,000 Sikhs massacred in the 1984 anti-Sikh genocide.
- 150,000+ Sikhs killed in extrajudicial operations during the 80s and 90s.
- 10,000+ innocent lives lost in the Amritsar genocide.
- 110,000+ Sikh farmers forced into suicide under crushing economic and political pressure.
This movement is rooted in peace, democracy, and the right to self-determination — core values shared by nations that uphold human rights and freedom.
The Khalistan Referendum is not just a vote — it is a voice. A voice for justice. A voice for the generations that suffered in silence. And a voice for the future of Punjab.
Khalistan Zindabad.
Freedom for Punjab.
August 17 — Washington D.C. — the world will witness history.
