Australia Today, the news outlet banned by Canada for airing the press conference of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's and Australian Senator Penny Wong, has raised serious concerns over press freedom.
Responding to the ban, The Australia Today's managing editor Jitarth Jai Bharadwaj said the move has made it difficult for the team, but they are “undeterred” by such obstacles.
"We remain steadfast in our mission to bring important stories and voices to the public, undeterred by these obstacles," Bharadwaj said in a statement.
He stating that the outlet remains steadfast and committed to transparency and free press.
Emphasising the outlet’s commitment to accuracy and the right to report stories that matter, Bharadwaj further said, "The overwhelming support we have received is a powerful reminder of the importance of free press, and we will continue to strive for transparency, accuracy, and the right to tell stories that matter."
Canada banned The Australia Today just hours after it aired External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's press conference in Australia, where he remarked on the India-Canada diplomatic impasse and Khalistani extremism in Canada.
In a strong response, India said it was surprised by Canada's move to ban the outlet and emphasised how it highlighted the country's hypocrisy towards freedom of speech.
The outlet said, "The recent restriction and ban on our interview with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the press conference with Australian Foreign Minister Senator Wong on social media, under orders from the Canadian government, have been difficult for our team and those who value free and open journalism."
It acknowledged the "unwavering support" received after the ban and said, "Despite these restrictions, your unwavering support has been a beacon of strength for us. Whether it was sharing our coverage on other platforms, voicing concerns about Press Freedom, or simply offering encouragement, every action made a difference".
Earlier on Thursday, condemning Canada’s ban, the Minister of External Affairs said, "We were surprised. It looks strange to us".
External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said the Canadian action of blocking the social media handles and certain pages of Australia Today smacked of hypocrisy towards freedom of speech.
"We were surprised. It looks strange to us. But nonetheless, what I say is that these are actions which yet again highlight the hypocrisy of Canada towards freedom of speech," the external affairs ministry spokesman said.
He said Jaishankar, in his media interactions in Australia, had spoken about the allegations levelled against India by Canada without sharing any specific evidence.
"You would have seen that the External Affairs Minister, in his media engagements, spoke about three things. One was Canada making allegations and a pattern had developed without any specific evidence. The second thing he highlighted was surveillance of Indian diplomats happening in Canada, which he termed as unacceptable," External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
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