By our news bureau
Melbourne: The Indian government and the community have finally woken up to stand with those Indian overseas students in Victoria who have been victims of a spate of attacks since last year. The Indian High Commissioner to Canberra Sujatha Singh has delivered a stinging complaint to Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce over attacks on Indians in Melbourne, labelling Victoria a state ”in denial” over the severity of the problem.
The news of the top-level meeting came as it became known that India’s top diplomat will next week return to New Delhi for high level talks on the attacks as the Victorian Premier John Brumby became involved in controversy over his remarks on Indian media.
The Age reports: “Mrs Singh, who sought the meeting with Ms Bryce in Sydney last Friday, is believed to have told the Governor-General that Australia is not racist but warned of long-term consequences unless more action was taken to prevent attacks.”
“She praised police in NSW, Queensland and South Australia for tackling racist attacks but said Victoria was taking too long to respond. Citing more than 100 incidents of racist violence against Indians, she told Ms Bryce Victorian authorities were in denial over the scale of the attacks, “The Age reports.
(Read full report in The Age 4, Feb. 2010- www.theage.com.au)
