The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has condemned Canada's decision to block an Australian news outlet that aired a press conference featuring External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Australian counterpart Penny Wong. The move, which the MEA says "yet again highlights the hypocrisy of Canada towards freedom of speech," has resulted in the cancellation of some scheduled consular camps in Canada. Jaishankar's comments during the joint press conference, where he criticized Canada for providing political space to Khalistan extremists, may have prompted the timing of the block, which happened just hours after the event. Canada, along with Australia, is part of the Five Eyes intelligence sharing alliance.
In a recent interview with a Canadian news outlet, Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun disregarded any threats made against him and vowed to continue his campaign for the global Khalistan referendum. He also criticized India's former High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, calling him a "hypocrite" and accusing him of building a spy network in Canada. This comes after Verma was recalled and accused by Canada of involvement in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Despite his designation as a terrorist by the Indian government, Pannun remains confident that more evidence will support his cause.
The US-based organisation, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), has organised a car rally in Auckland to demand a separate state for Sikhs within India. This has raised concerns for New Zealand-India relations and prompted the government to respond, stating that they support peaceful and lawful initiatives. The SFJ, which has been banned by India for its alleged terrorist links, plans to hold a non-official and non-binding "referendum" in Auckland on 17 November to advocate for the creation of an independent homeland for Sikhs in India.
The second phase of polling for Lok Sabha election 2024 saw a voter turnout of 61%, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sunita Kejriwal campaigning for their parties in Goa and Delhi. The Congress' Central Election Committee is also set to discuss candidates for Amethi and Raebareli in a meeting today. Meanwhile, popular TV actor Gurucharan Singh, known for his role as Sodhi in 'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah', has gone missing. In other news, Khalistan sympathizer Amritpal Singh has agreed to contest the Lok Sabha polls as an independent candidate.
A Sikh separatist's home in Toronto, Canada has been hit by gunfire, just days after shots were fired at the home of another Khalistani supporter in Surrey. The targeted individual, Inderjit Singh Gosal, is a close associate of pro-Khalistan leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who is a designated terrorist in India. The shooting comes amidst rising tension between India and Canada, as both countries have accused the other of interfering in their internal affairs.