A news reporter on Tuesday was told by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to “chill out” after being questioned whether he regretted calling Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi“the boss” recently.
The reporter asked the question amid the allegations by Canada that the Indian government may be linked to the murder of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Both Australia and Canada have huge numbers of Punjabi Sikh population.
Albanese told the reporter, “Seriously, you should chill out a bit…You know, we are at a venue where Bruce Springsteen played the last time. I was there and I made the point that the reception he got from the community, which was a very broad-based community … from the Indian diaspora, welcomed him very strongly. It’s as simple as that.”
“So, I welcomed Prime Minister Modi to Australia, as I welcome other guests to Australia as well,” he also said.
Australian government on Tuesday said that it is deeply disturbed by allegations raised by Canada.
“Australia is deeply concerned by these allegations and notes ongoing investigations into this matter…We are closely engaged with partners on developments. We have conveyed our concerns at senior levels to India,” spokesperson for Australian foreign minister Penny Wong said.
In May during Modi’s visit to Australia, Albanese had called the Indian prime minister “the boss” while addressing a community event in Sydney for the Indian diaspora.
“The last time I saw someone on this stage was Bruce Springsteen and he did not get the welcome that Prime Minister Modi has got. Prime Minister Modi is the boss,” the Australian prime minister had said.
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday said that the Indian government may be linked to the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Nijjar was killed in June outside a temple in British Columbia.
“Canada has declared its deep concerns to the top intelligence and security officials of the Indian government…In no uncertain terms, any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty,” Trudeau said.
