Khalistan event cancelled by city council in Australia: Report

MELBOURNE: A city council in Australia has cancelled a Khalistan propaganda referendum event in Sydney following numerous complaints about threats posed by the event, a media report said on Friday.

Acting on security agencies' advice, the Blacktown City Council cancelled the event scheduled to be organised at Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope by the pro-Khalistan Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), The Australia Today reported.

Council has, this morning, cancelled this booking as it is in conflict with adopted Council policy and due to risks to Council staff, Council assets and members of the public which cannot be practicably mitigated," a Blacktown City Council spokesperson told the media outlet.

"Council's decision is in no way an endorsement of, or criticism of, any political position relating to the internal affairs of India or Pakistan and must not be represented as support for any particular political position," he added.

The development comes just days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the country on May 23.

Among the many complainants, Arvind Gaur, a resident, had written a letter to Mayor of the Blacktown City Council, Tony Bleasdale, informing him about terrorists being praised via posters and banners by the SFJ event.

Gaur told The Australia Today that he has received a reply from the council CEO Kerry Robinson explaining that the unauthorised banners and posters are being removed by Council officials and they have sought advice from the NSW Police.

"We are removing the banners and posters around the city placed on public property as these have been erected without our approval," Robbinson said.

The NSW Police, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, the Australian Federal Police and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade were involved while taking a decision to withdraw permission for the Khalistan propaganda event, according to The Australia Today.

A wave of Khalistani venom has been unleashed upon Indian installations and temples across Australia since the start of the year with the recent one being on BAPS Swaminarayan temple in Sydney on May 5.