New Delhi [India], November 8 : BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla on Thursday called the Canada government's actions "double standards" after Ottawa blocked the prominent diaspora outlet 'The Australia Today' shortly after it broadcast the press conference with External Affairs Minister Jaishankar and his counterpart Penny Wong in Canberra.
Poonawalla said that Canada, on the one hand, allows its soil to use for anti-India and pro-Khalistani speech, and on the other hand, Australia Today's social media outlets are banned.
"Double standards, double speak and hypocrisy of the Canadian government on freedom of speech is visible when on the one hand they allow the soil of Canada to be used for hate speech, divisive speech, anti-India speech, pro Khalistani speech against India, and on the other hand, Australia Today's social media outlets are banned merely because the interaction or the statement of Foreign Minister Jaishankar and Penny Wong is carried," Poonawalla told ANI.
Earlier, Jitarth Jai Bharadwaj, the Managing Editor of The Australia Today said in a statement that the publication would continue to advocate for an open media.
"We at The Australia Today would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to every news outlet, journalist, and supporter who stood by us during a challenging time. The recent restriction and ban on our interview with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the press conference with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on social media, under orders from the Canadian government, have been difficult for our team and
He further noted that the Canadian government does not care for free speech. "This shows that the Canadian government doesn't really believe in the principle of free speech," he added.
The BJP spokesperson also hits out at op[position parties in the country for supporting Canada saying, "But what is also quite upsetting is that on the one hand, when such glaring double standards are being shown by the Canadian government, some people in India, in the opposition in particular, rather than call out the Canadian government for their double speak, and rather than stand up for the Hindus who were under attack by the Khalistanis in Canada, are busy trying to raise muck on their government and their own country. That is very unfortunate, he added."
Yesterday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) lambasted Canada for its "hypocrisy towards freedom of speech," after the Justin Trudeau government "blocked" social media handles and pages of "an important diaspora outlet" 'Australia Today, shortly after it broadcast the press conference with Jaishankar and Penny Wong in Canberra.
During the presser, Jaishankar slammed Canada for making allegations without any specific evidence, termed "surveillance of Indian diplomats" unacceptable and also highlighted that the "political space has been given in Canada to anti-India elements."
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "We understand that the social media handles, and pages of this particular outlet, which is an important diaspora outlet, has been blocked and are not available for viewers in Canada."
Further Jaiswal also said that these actions highlight the "hypocrisy of Canada towards freedom of speech."