Dasvand
Vancouver (September 5, 2025): The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) welcomes the Government of British Columbia’s proclamation of September 6, 2025 as Jaswant Singh Khalra Day across the province.
The proclamation recognizes Bhai Jaswant Singh Khalra, an internationally respected Sikh activist and human rights defender who exposed the mass abductions, killings, and secret cremations of thousands of Sikhs in Punjab during the 1980s and 1990s. Through his examination of municipal records, Khalra estimated that over 25,000 bodies had been illegally cremated by Indian police without identification. Khalra came to Canada in June 1995 at the invitation of the WSO to share his findings. Despite repeated death threats and appeals to remain in Canada, Khalra returned to India where he was abducted by Indian police on September 6, 1995 and then murdered. This year marks the 30th anniversary of his disappearance.
Background
- Jaswant Singh Khalra was invited to Canada by the WSO in 1995, where he addressed Members of Parliament and Sikh communities across the country and shared his findings on police disappearances and illegal cremations.
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September 6th is recognized globally by Sikhs and human rights supporters as the day of his disappearance and murder in 1995.
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The proclamation was signed by BC Lieutenant Governor Wendy Cocchia on September 5, 2025.
BC’s proclamation acknowledges Bhai Khalra’s place in Sikh and Canadian history, and affirms the government’s commitment to standing with communities that continue to draw strength and inspiration from his courage and sacrifice.
WSO BC Regional President Gurpreet Kaur said today,
“The proclamation of Jaswant Singh Khalra Day in British Columbia is a historic recognition of a Sikh activist whose courage and sacrifice continue to inspire Sikhs and human rights defenders around the world. Bhai Khalra’s message of defiance in the face of state oppression and the duty to uncover and share the truth against all odds, remains as urgent today as it was thirty years ago.
At a time when Canadian Sikhs continue to confront Indian transnational repression, exemplified by the assassination of Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar by agents of the Government of India, Bhai Khalra’s legacy stands as a call to resist silence and impunity.
We thank the Government of British Columbia for standing with the Sikh community in ensuring Bhai Khalra’s legacy is remembered, honoured, and carried forward.”
The WSO encourages members of the Sikh community, human rights defenders, and all Canadians to join in marking this important day and to continue advancing the values of truth, justice, and human dignity that defined Jaswant Singh Khalra’s life.
The World Sikh Organization of Canada is a non-profit national organization with a mandate to promote and protect the interests of Canadian Sikhs as well as to advocate for the protection of human rights of all individuals.