Forced to leave India, alleges Australian journalist
Australian journalist Avani Dias claimed on Tuesday that she had to leave India “abruptly” as the government told her an extension of her visa would be denied as her reporting has “crossed a line”.
Dias, who worked in India as the South Asia Bureau Chief for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) since January 2022, left the country last week.
However, an Indian government official who declined to be named described Dias’s contention that she wasn’t allowed to cover India’s general election and was compelled to leave the country, as “not correct”. The official added, “She left because she had to meet the timeline for another job offer in Australia. The reason for her leaving was not delay in issuance of visa but personal reasons.”
In a post on X, Dias said, “After Australian Government intervention, I got a mere two-month extension…less than 24 hours before my flight.” She added, “We were also told my election accreditation would not come through because of an Indian Ministry directive. We left on day 1 of voting in the National election in what Modi calls ‘the mother of democracy’.”
The development took place against the backdrop of the removal of Dias’s documentary on the killing last year of pro-Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada from YouTube India. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau triggered a diplomatic row by saying there were “credible allegations of a potential link” between Indian government agents and the killing of Nijjar.
On March 24, YouTube sent an email to the Australian broadcaster that said it had received an order from India’s electronics and information technology ministry to block Dias’s documentary. Following this, ABC alleged their journalists were questioned in Punjab by the Criminal Intelligence Department and blocked from filming a public event at the India-Pakistan border despite having approvals.
The Indian government official said ABC’s documentary, titled “Sikhs, Murder and Spies” and aired on March 21, was shot without appropriate permissions. The BSF too had declined permission for the ABC team to shoot close to the Wagah land border because of security-related restrictions, the official said.
– The Hindustan Times
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