The Australia Today, the media outlet banned by Canada for broadcasting Foreign Minister S Jaishankar’s press conference, said in a statement on November 8 that the publication would continue to advocate for an open media.

The outlet expressed concern after Canada blocked its social media accounts and pages following the broadcast of a press conference featuring Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong.

Jitarth Jai Bharadwaj, Editor-in-Chief of The Australia Today, said: “We at The Australia Today would like to express our sincere gratitude to all media outlets, journalists and supporters who have supported us during this difficult time. The recent restrictions and bans on our interview with Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and press conference with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on social media, at the behest of the Canadian government, have been difficult for our team and those who value free and open journalism. .”

“Despite these restrictions, your unwavering support has been a beacon for us. We remain true to our mission of bringing important stories and voices to the public, undeterred by these obstacles. The overwhelming support we have received is a powerful reminder of the importance of a free press, and we will continue to fight for transparency, accuracy and the right to tell stories that matter,” Bharadwaj said.

“Again, thank you for supporting us. We will continue to advocate for an open and inclusive media landscape,” his statement read.

On November 7, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MEA) castigated Canada for its “hypocrisy with regard to freedom of expression”, after Justin Trudeau’s government “blocked” social media accounts and pages of Australia Today, shortly after the press conference with Jaishankar was broadcast. and Penny Wong in Canberra.

During the press conference, Jaishankar criticized Canada for making allegations without any specific evidence, calling the “surveillance of Indian diplomats” unacceptable and also pointed out that “political space has been given to Canada to anti-Indian elements.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a briefing: “We understand that the social media pages of this particular media outlet, which is a major diaspora media outlet, have been blocked and are not available for viewers in Canada. »

These actions highlight “Canada’s hypocrisy towards freedom of expression,” he added.

Relations between India and Canada have become strained after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian agents of the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India has rejected the accusation as baseless. Last month, relations reached a new low, with Canada calling the Indian high commissioner a “person of interest” in the killing.

Last week, India accused Canada of “harassment and intimidation” against its consular staff, alleging they were subjected to audio and video surveillance, which India says violates diplomatic norms .

At a press briefing on November 2, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had formally protested to the Canadian government in response to reports that several Indian diplomats in Canada were under surveillance in a context of persistent diplomatic tensions.

(With contribution from agencies)