The Government of British Columbia has officially proclaimed September 6, 2025, as Jaswant Singh Khalra Day across the province, honoring the legacy of a globally respected Sikh human rights defender whose courage continues to inspire generations.
The proclamation, signed by BC Lieutenant Governor Wendy Cocchia on September 5, 2025, recognizes Bhai Jaswant Singh Khalra for his groundbreaking work in exposing mass abductions, extrajudicial killings, and secret cremations of thousands of Sikhs in Punjab during the 1980s and 1990s. His research and advocacy brought international attention to human rights violations and sparked global calls for justice.
In 1995, Khalra was invited to Canada by the World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO), where he addressed Members of Parliament and Sikh communities nationwide, sharing his findings on police disappearances and illegal cremations. Tragically, September 6th marks the day of his disappearance and murder in 1995, a date now recognized globally by Sikhs and human rights advocates as a solemn reminder of his sacrifice.
Gurpreet Kaur, BC Regional President of the WSO, said, “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. 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.”
