BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla on Thursday accused the Canadian government of displaying “double standards” and “hypocrisy” on freedom of speech after The Australia Today, a prominent diaspora outlet, was reportedly blocked in Canada. The block came shortly after the outlet aired a press conference featuring India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Canberra.
Poonawalla criticized Canada for allegedly allowing anti-India and pro-Khalistani speech within its borders while banning a media outlet simply for airing statements by Indian officials. “Canada’s hypocrisy on free speech is visible when they permit their soil to be used for hate speech, divisive speech, and pro-Khalistani rhetoric, yet block The Australia Today’s social media platforms for featuring the remarks of Jaishankar and Wong,” Poonawalla told ANI.
In response to the Canadian restrictions, Jitarth Jai Bharadwaj, the Managing Editor of The Australia Today, expressed gratitude for the support received from various news outlets and journalists. Bharadwaj voiced disappointment in Canada’s stance on media freedom, stating, “This shows that the Canadian government doesn’t truly believe in the principle of free speech.” He assured that The Australia Today would continue to advocate for open media despite the obstacles.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) joined in criticizing the Canadian government’s decision, with MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal calling it a clear instance of “hypocrisy.” Jaiswal stated that the blocking of The Australia Today, an outlet important to the Indian diaspora, further demonstrates Canada’s contradictory approach to free speech. “The social media handles and pages of this particular outlet have been blocked and are unavailable for viewers in Canada,” Jaiswal said.
At the Canberra press conference, Jaishankar also rebuked Canada, arguing that the allegations made by the Canadian government lacked specific evidence and that Canadian authorities had given political space to anti-India elements. He called the surveillance of Indian diplomats by Canadian authorities “unacceptable.”
Poonawalla also took aim at opposition parties in India, accusing them of not condemning Canada’s actions. He argued that some opposition leaders focus on criticizing their own government rather than addressing Canada’s “double standards” on freedom of speech and standing up for the Indian community facing hostility from Khalistani groups in Canada. “It is unfortunate that, when such blatant double standards are shown by Canada, some opposition members in India continue to criticize their own government rather than standing up for the Hindus under attack,” Poonawalla said.
The incident has added further strain to diplomatic relations between India and Canada, with free speech and issues surrounding pro-Khalistani activities at the center of the ongoing tensions.
