A large pro-Khalistan car rally was held in Montreal, Canada, on Sunday to promote a so-called “Khalistan referendum”, drawing participation from an estimated 500 vehicles, according to videos circulating on social media platforms such as X and Instagram. The event comes amid growing concern over pro-Khalistan extremism in Canada, particularly following threats issued against India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval earlier this year by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and Inderjeet Singh Gosal.
The non-binding referendum, announced for November 23 in Ottawa, was declared in September by Inderjeet Singh Gosal, a known Khalistani extremist who had recently been released on bail after his arrest on firearms charges in Canada. Upon release, Gosal appeared in a video pledging support to Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the general counsel of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) — a banned secessionist organization in India and designated as a terror group by multiple nations.
In the same clip, Gosal proclaimed, “India, I’m out… to support Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, to organise the Khalistan referendum on November 23.” Pannun, who continues to operate freely from abroad, has previously issued direct threats to Indian officials, warning New Delhi against any attempt to arrest or extradite him.
The rally was prominently featured by pro-Khalistani social media accounts, including @politics_punjab2 on Instagram, which claimed the Montreal event was a “massive success” and showcased “over 500 cars” participating in a car convoy bearing Khalistani flags and posters.
However, the demonstration sparked a sharp backlash online, igniting a heated debate among Canadians and members of the Indian diaspora.
Bruce Barrett, a self-described “Canada First” nationalist, posted footage of the event on X, denouncing it as an “anti-India” and “anti-national” display, adding, “This does not belong in Canada.” He called for the Khalistani movement to be classified as a terrorist organisation, arguing that its leaders should be “shipped back.”
His comments drew mixed reactions. Some X users criticised Barrett for referring to Khalistani extremists as “Indians.” Author Sankrant Sanu responded, “They are not Indians, by their own ideology. It’s a movement created in Canada. No one wants them. ‘Khali’ means empty — Canada has plenty of empty space, plant them somewhere in the North.”
Another user, Ruchi Wali, highlighted the long-standing issue of Canadian inaction against Khalistani groups, writing, “Ship them where? Most are Canadian citizens, welcomed here by our own government. Khalistan isn’t a foreign issue. They blew up Air India Flight 182 in 1985, killing mostly Canadians, and forty years later, families are still waiting for justice. Calling them Indians is willful ignorance.”
Many others on social media echoed frustration over the Canadian government’s tolerance of Khalistani extremism, urging Ottawa to enforce stricter counterterrorism measures and curb the misuse of freedom of expression to propagate anti-India agendas.
The incident once again underscores the increasing strain in India–Canada relations, which have been tense since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s 2023 remarks linking Indian agents to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, another Khalistani separatist leader. With renewed Khalistani activity ahead of the Ottawa referendum, security and diplomatic observers warn that such rallies risk further destabilising Indo-Canadian ties while emboldening extremist networks operating on Canadian soil.
