Melbourne Khalistan Referendum Rally: Australian Officials Examining Visa Conditions of Organisers

After reports surfaced that Khalistan separatists are planning to hold a Khalistan referendum rally in Melbourne, officials in Australia have started working with the security apparatus to investigate the matter as it could pose risks for Indian Australians and Australian Hindus living there, news agency ANI reported.

The Australian government started looking into the issue after the Indian government alerted them about the Khalistani separatists after it detected that they were engaging in malicious anti-India and anti-Hindu campaigns.

The Australia Today news agency in a report said that Australian officials are investigating “overseas players” with a violent past who have entered Australia and are running campaigns with ‘malicious intent’ after the Indian government alerted them.

Officials held a meeting with Australian foreign minister Penny Wong and home affairs minister Claire O’Neil where they reiterated that freedom of speech is respected but there was something off about the ‘overseas players.’

The report by Australia Today said that the Australian department of home affairs are examining the visa conditions of some Khalistani overseas players who are closely involved in the referendum that will be held in Melbourne.

Indian officials advised the Australian governments that such an event would jeopardise the safety of Indian Australians and make them targets of violence.

The Indian officials were made aware of separatist activities when posters with anti-India and anti-Hindu slogans appeared online and offline.

There were several posts on social media sites with pictures of Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh. Another poster with Australian phone numbers makes a misleading claim, accusing Hindus of killing Sikh, an infant of a Sikh Army officer.

Hindu families living in Melbourne’s Tarneit are fearful of their wellbeing and fear damage to their properties as they live on the route of the Khalistan Referendum Car rally, the Australia Today reported citing a representative of the Hindu Council of Australia.

Earlier in November, Khalistani flags, booklets and T-shirts were displayed during the Nagar Kirtan/Humanity Walk organised by the Victorian Sikh Gurdwaras Council (VSGC) , shocking several Indian Australians.

In June, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) marquee was displayed at the Griffith Sikh Games which also sported Khalistani banners, posters and flags.

The Australia Today said that the ADF knew about the presence of its personnel but it “identified some internal process issues around attendance at community events and a requirement for further awareness training, both of which are being addressed.”

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