|
India asks Indian students not
to retaliate
WSN Network
India has
advised the Indian students in Australia and the media at home to
exercise restraint. It also promised to engage Canberra in
high-level dialogue on the issue.
Speaking in both
Houses of Parliament, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called upon the
media to think about more than two lakh Australian citizens of
Indian origin and avoid creating a situation in which they would
become targets of racial intolerance.
Interacting with
journalists outside Parliament, External Affairs Minister S.M.
Krishna had a similar message for the Indian students, a few of whom
are reported to have formed vigilante groups, which has not gone
down well with the Australian police. “I would like to urge the
Indian students to be patient and show restraint. They have gone
there for higher studies. They should concentrate on that rather
than retaliate.”
The Australian
government had given the “fullest assurance” that steps would be
taken to ensure the safety of Indian students.
Replying to the
debate on the motion of thanks to the President’s address, Dr. Singh
said he was appalled by the “senseless violence and crime,” some of
which were racially motivated. “I propose to engage the authorities
in
Australia
in a high-level dialogue to take stock of the situation and provide
adequate security for the Indian students.” Dr. Singh recalled his
conversation with his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd, who had
promised strong action against the perpetrators of the attacks.
He advised the
media not to “willy nilly create a situation,” in which permanent
residents of Indian-origin in
Australia were
targeted.
The Federation
of Indian Students of Australia has appreciated the support extended
by Indian political leaders and student organisations. Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh has shown a strong leadership in taking up
the matter at the highest level, it said. The support from Communist
Party of India leader D. Raja is a “symbol of collective action.”
10June 2009
|
Read Also