‘We did not understand the character of this Khalistan event’: Sydney Masonic Centre cancels SFJ’s Khalistan Referendum voting event. Read particulars

On May 31, Sydney Masonic Centre confirmed to OpIndia that it has cancelled to reserving completed by the Khalistan terrorist organisation Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) for Referendum 2020 voting scheduled for June 4, 2023. The step was taken after the Indian group in Australia submitted a lot of of complaints informing the centre regarding the threats posed by the scheduled event. Furthermore, The Australia Today reported that security corporations moreover prompt to not allow the event.

Sydney Masonic Centre cancels #Khalistan #Referendum propaganda event @DrAmitSarwal @SarahLGates1 @sindhuntold @dhanashree0110 @Rohini_indo_aus @rishi_suri @EthnicLinkGuru @Pallavi_Aus @m_culturalnsw @Charlton_AB @AusDHCIndia @AshokShrivasta6 https://t.co/TTPsAxssQD

— The Australia Today (@TheAusToday) May 31, 2023

Speaking to The Australia Today, a Masonic Centre spokesperson acknowledged, “We did not understand the nature of this Khalistan event at the time of booking, However after lots of deliberations decision was taken that Sydney Masonic Centre does not want to be part of any event which can potentially bring harm to the community.”

Hindu Human Rights reporter and researcher Sarah L Gates acknowledged in a Tweet that the centre cancelled the event after calls had been made informing them regarding the intensions of SFJ. She wrote, “SFJ are not being honest with their applications.”

For the report, the first identify to the Masonic Centre was the time they decided to cancel. That was as rapidly as a result of the reserving was launched. Once they knew it was not a ‘polling’ prepare, the wheels turned. SFJ normally will not be being honest with their functions.

— 𑆩𑆳𑆬𑆴𑆤𑆵 Sarah L Gates (@SarahLGates1) May 31, 2023

One of the members of the Hindu group who submitted a criticism regarding the event, Dharmendra Yadav from Parramatta, Sydney, instructed Australia Today that for five days he was seeing huge banners praising terrorists. Those posters moreover had anti-India slogans, Yadav acknowledged. He added that the product sales workforce of the centre was most likely tricked by the Khalistani supporters into the reserving.

Notably, India has raised concerns over the rising number of Khalistani supporters in Australia. During a present go to to Australia, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese regarding the issue. PM Albanese assured PM Modi that his authorities would proceed to take sturdy steps in opposition to such elements.

Similar concerns had been raised by PM Modi all through PM Albanese’s go to to India. The Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, has moreover raised concerns beforehand sooner than and after pro-Khalistani events. Notably, in January 2022, a Referendum 2020 voting event organised by the terrorist organisation SFJ turned violent in Australia and members of the Hindu group opposing the propaganda event had been attacked with batons and swords.

Earlier, an identical event scheduled in Sydney was cancelled by Blacktown City Council. In an announcement to Australia Today, the council’s spokesperson acknowledged, “Council has, this morning, cancelled this booking as it conflicts with adopted Council policy and due to risks to Council staff, Council assets and members of the public which cannot be practicably mitigated.”

An investigation into Sikhs For Justice Pty Ltd which was registered in Victoria has been initiated by the businesses. An unnamed official was quoted by Australia Today saying, “A connection to unaccounted money trail is what we are looking into.”

Attacks on Hindu Temples in Australia

There have been quite a lot of assaults on Hindu temples in Australia notably after SFJ started organising Referendum 2020 events. So far, there have been six such assaults. On May 5, Khalistani supporters attacked a Hindu temple in Western Sydney’s Rosehill suburb of Australia. The supporters vandalized the BAPS Swaminarayan temple and wrote “Declare Modi Terrorist (BBC)” on the temple partitions. Meanwhile, a Khalistan flag could also be seen hanging on the gate of the acknowledged temple.

Previously, Shree Laxmi Narayan Temple in Brisbane’s Burbank suburb was vandalised with anti-Hindu and anti-India graffiti defacing its partitions on March 4.

A Kali Mata temple obtained a warning in opposition to holding a Bhajan program. A woman priest of a Kali Mata temple throughout the northern suburbs of Melbourne in Australia obtained threats from Khalistani terrorists for organizing a Bhajan program of Indian singer Kanhiya Mittal on February 16.

The partitions of Hare Krishna Temple located at Albert Park in Melbourne metropolis of Australia defaced with anti-India slogans of ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ and ‘Hindustan Murdabad.’ The miscreants had moreover hailed slain Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale as a martyr on January 23.

Walls of the historic Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple in Carrum Downs had been defaced with graffiti of ‘Target Modi’, ‘Modi Hitler’, and ‘Hindustan Murdabad’ on January 17.

Hindus attacked in the midst of the Khalistan Referendum event

On January 29, Hindus opposing Khalistan Referendum had been attacked at Federation Square, Melbourne. The group of Hindus had been attacked by Khalistani supporters with swords and batons. Videos of the assault went viral on social media. Following intense criticism by the Indian authorities, the Australian authorities initiated an investigation into the matter. Several arrests had been made in connection to the assault. Further investigation is underway.