The Hindu : Front Page : Manmohan raises attacks on students with Rudd

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, May 30, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Front Page

Front Page

Manmohan raises attacks on students with Rudd

Sandeep Dikshit

Indian diplomats meet Victoria Premier

— PHOTO: PTI

ASSURANCE: Australian High Commissioner John McCarthy comes out of the External Affairs Ministry on Friday after meeting officials. He said the attacks on Indian students in his country were a “criminal activity” and there was no evidence to suggest that they were racist.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday conveyed the government’s concern over the attacks on Indian students to his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd. The Foreign Ministers as well as diplomats of the two countries also discussed the issue. Besides seeking security for its nationals, India pointed out that a sense of insecurity among foreign students would hit Australia’s sunrise education industry.

“Separately, in telephonic conversations, when Australian PM Kevin Rudd called the Prime Minister and Australian FM Stephen Smith called External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna to convey their congratulations on their assumption of office in the new government, our concerns at attacks on Indian students were conveyed suitably in respective telephonic conversations,” said a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement.

The Foreign Office “called in” Australian High Commissioner John McCarthy and told him about the government’s “continuing concern” about the welfare of Indian students, concentrated in New South Wales and Victoria.

With 50,000 Indian students in Victoria, High Commissioner Sujatha Singh and Consul General Anita Nayar met State Premier John Brumby in Melbourne to discuss measures to reassure Indian students. They visited the seriously injured Sravan Kumar Theerthala as well as other injured students.

The MEA said Mr. Kumar was being given the best possible treatment though his condition continued to be serious.

MEA’s Secretary (East) N. Ravi told the Australian High Commissioner that “continuing sense of unease and insecurity, for Indian students in Australia, can have an adverse effect, in a sector that holds much promise.”

Certain steps that the Australian side could take, in addition to those that they have initiated, were also discussed and conveyed to the High Commissioner, said an MEA statement.

Australia has emerged as a magnet for students from East and South Asia. With about four lakh students locating to Australia every year, education has become the country’s third largest export earner. Of these nearly one lakh are from India alone.

India recognises Australia is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of Indian students. At the same time, it is planning to educate its students about the precautionary measures to be taken “including dos and don’ts.”

The Indian mission also plans to increase interaction with the students.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page