The banned US-based pro-Khalistan outfit Sikh For Justice (SFJ) on July 4, launched its much-publicised online voter registration for ‘Referendum 2020’ for people in Punjab through a Russian portal, reports Outlook. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) had in July 2019, banned the SFJ for advocating Referendum 2020, an online campaign to demand Khalistan, which seeks a separate homeland for the Sikhs. As per the report, the SFJ launched the Referendum 2020 voter registration through the Russian website – www.punjabfree.ru, appealing to the people in Punjab and aged 18 or above from any religion as well as the Sikhs living anywhere else in India to register their votes for participation in the non-governmental ‘Punjab Independence Referendum’.
Detailed information regarding the registration process was put up in English and Punjabi languages on the Russia-based website, which mentions three steps for registration of votes and the sign-up to receive updates about the Referendum 2020. Also, the SFJ has a ground-level plan to ensure that the voter registration form for Referendum 2020 reaches every household in Punjab, despite the Indian government's crackdown on the pro-Khalistan activists. The Indian government has been in touch with the authorities concerned as to ascertain how the SFJ used Russian cyberspace to launch the voter registration for Referendum 2020.