Thousands of Sikh voters are expected to turn out today in the Metro Vancouver municipality of Surrey, to vote in an unofficial referendum at the centre of Canada害羞草研究所檚 ongoing tensions with India.

Organizers say the referendum on Khalistan 害羞草研究所� an independent state in India proposed by some Sikhs 害羞草研究所� is taking place at the same Surrey gurdwara where activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead in June.

Today害羞草研究所檚 vote is the second round of the referendum in British Columbia, after organizers said the first ballot on Sept. 10 was so popular that voting couldn害羞草研究所檛 be completed in one day.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in the House of Commons on Sept. 18 that there were 害羞草研究所渃redible allegations害羞草研究所� potentially linking India害羞草研究所檚 government to Nijjar害羞草研究所檚 killing.

Ballot spokesman Gurpatwant Singh Pannun says Trudeau害羞草研究所檚 statement has created more open conversations around India and its handling of the Khalistani independence movement, while allowing its supporters to become more vocal without fear of retribution.

Nijjar was an organizer of the Khalistan referendum in Canada, and votes have also been held in several other locations around the world.

The Indian government has denied involvement in Nijjar害羞草研究所檚 death and has long maintained that the Punjabi independence movement undermines India害羞草研究所檚 national security.

READ ALSO:

READ ALSO: