Chill out a bit: Australian PM Albanese tells reporter over question on Modi

CANBERRA: Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese chided a reporter over a question on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked him to 'chill out a bit', after being asked whether he regretted calling PM Modi "the boss," according to SBS News.

In a press conference on Tuesday, Albanese took aim at a reporter who asked whether "he regreeted calling PM Modi the boss." "Seriously? You should chill out a bit," he said, according to SBS news.

SBS World News is the news service of the Special Broadcasting Service in Australia. "We [were] 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, where they're from, the Indian diaspora welcomed him."

"I welcomed Prime Minister Modi to Australia, as I welcome other guests to Australia as well."

Notably, when introducing PM Modi to a crowded audience in Sydney in May, Albanese referred to him as "the boss"—a nod to Bruce Springsteen. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Albanese said, "I don't talk about Five Eyes intelligence at a press conference," but he did not specify if he had joined Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin in bringing up the accusation with Modi at the G20.

Trudeau triggered a diplomatic storm on Monday by saying there was “credible evidence” India was responsible for the alleged assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Five Eyes is a network of five nations -- Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand, and the US who collaborated to better respond to increasing threats by North Korea and China.

The claims have "deeply concerned" Australia, according to a spokesperson for Penny Wong, the foreign minister of Australia.

“We are closely engaged with partners on developments. We have conveyed our concerns at senior levels to India,” a statement shared with CNN said.

“We understand these reports will be particularly concerning to some Australian communities. The Indian diaspora is a valued and important contributor to our vibrant and resilient multicultural society, where all Australians can peacefully and safely express their views.”

Meanwhile, the relations between India and Canada have grown tense after Justin Trudeau made allegations regarding the Indian government’s involvement in the fatal shooting of Khalistan Tiger Force chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. Nijjar, who was wanted in India, was gunned down outside a Gurdwara, in a parking area in Canada's Surrey, British Columbia on June 18. India rejected the allegations by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau earlier today, regarding the Indian government’s involvement in the fatal shooting of Khalistan Tiger Force chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) termed the allegations ‘absurd ‘and ‘motivated’.

“We have seen and rejected the statement of the Canadian Prime Minister in their Parliament, as also the statement by their Foreign Minister,” said the MEA in an official statement.

“Allegations of the Indian government’s “involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated” the release added.