SINGAPORE: Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi has urged Australia to "take a lenient view" of Indian students who find themselves in "detention" for doing part-time jobs for periods longer than the stipulated maximum of 20 hours a week.

It is said that most students take this risk to be able to meet their expenses, including "exorbitant fees" in some cases.

Mr. Ravi told The Hindu here earlier this week that Australia's Immigration and Multicultural Affairs Minister Amanda Vanstone said she would look into the matter in accordance with the relevant laws.

Mr. Ravi, who was here on his way back home after a tour of Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji in connection with the Diwali celebrations there, said Ms. Vanstone showed a "positive" interest in the subject.

While thanking Australia for "liberalising" the admission of Indian students to its universities, Mr. Ravi emphasised the need to "encourage the exchange of students" in either direction. "We have to seize the opportunity in Australia," but it was equally essential to guard against "some kind of a racket" that apparently organised the flow of Indian students to that country, he said. During his visit, Mr. Ravi asked the Indian community in Australia to provide details about the "racket." He did not wish to blame the "recruiting agents" either in India or Australia in the absence of a clear picture.

The Diwali function in the Parliament premises at Canberra was attended by Australia's Attorney-General Philip Ruddock and India's High Commissioner to Australia P. P. Shukla, besides Mr. Ravi and Ms. Vanstone.

Mr. Ravi said Diwali was recognised abroad as a pan-Indian national festival. But he was dismayed at the "fundamentalist" attitude of some ethnic Indians in Australia who looked at this "festival of colour and lights" through a religious prism. He was, however, happy that people from different faiths were present at the Diwali celebrations in Australia and New Zealand.

Mr. Ravi said his visit to Fiji was undertaken entirely at "our initiative" for feeling the pulse of the Indian diaspora there during this festive season. He had no objective of discussing Fiji's internal political situation, but the leaders there briefed him about their moves for a "national unity government" consisting of not only the native people but also ethnic Indians.

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