A delegation from Australia is in Mumbai.It is led by Colin Walters from the Australian Department of Education.It’s objective is to reassure Indians that Australia is a safe country for Indian Students
At a Press conference yesterday,Colin Walters asserted that Australia is not a racist country and that the Australian Government has Zero Tolerance for Hate Crime.His Panel insisted that the Indians were at the wrong place at the wrong time
Paul Evans,Assistant Police Commissioner of Victoria reiterated that the Crimes were opportunistic and the attackers were mainly in the young age group of 15 to 17 with the only motive being Theft.He said ” Students carry thousands of Dollars in gear,from mobiles to laptops and iPods.They become a target “
But this Australian Delegation was completely unconvincing and could not address two basic and simple queries put forth to them :
-
Why is it that only Indian Students are targeted when even Australian students too carry expensive Gear ?
-
Is it not true that these attacks are also provoked by the fact that Australians fear that Indian are taking away their Jobs ?
To the second query,Walters defensively stated that the Australian Economy was not as hard hit as the Others and that there were ample Employment Opportunities
Come On Guys ! Wrong Place at the Wrong Time,you say !…..Many of these Attacks were in Broad Daylight and in Public Places and Inside Indian Homes !
I agree,Australia is certainly not racist…I’ve even blogged on this before….Australia is a great nation….but clearly Australians,naturally too, are finding it difficult to admit and concede that some of these attacks had clear racial motives…they’re conceding when confronted with evidence….what is of immediate concern is that these attacks must stop and all the perpetrators must be paraded in the Media and convicted fast…..this would serve as a deterrent…..Matter is being addressed by both nations at the Highest possible level…by the Prime Ministers of both countries.
However,the Trip was unsuccessful and I’m sure The Delegates will report this as such back in Australia
Sadly,many Indians settled in Australia,particularly the ‘elite’, too have been influenced by this Australian line of thinking and Justification….forget any sense of solidarity,but in private, they even pepper some of the Indian Students with derogatory and demeaning adjectives and believe that these students are themselves responsible for such attacks !….They forget that these Indians Students have an equal right,whichever way they can,as they have in seeking to come to Australia ,if they believe it will improve their Quality of Life