Indian envoy in Australia apprises Krishna on attacks

NEW DELHI - India’s High Commissioner to Australia Sujatha Singh Thursday apprised External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and senior ministry officials about the Indians’ security Down Under and the steps Australian authorities have taken to prevent attacks on members of the community.

“She met the minister for about 15-20 minutes. She was called by the government for consultations on issues relating to continuing assaults on Indians,” said a ministry official.

Ahead of her visit to New Delhi, the envoy had met Victoria Premier John Brumby, who apprised her of the measures put in place to improve law and order and the safety of foreign students in the state.

The meeting followed Brumby’s request after Sujatha Singh made strong remarks against his government, saying Victoria was in “a state of denial”.

Earlier this week, Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith admitted that some of the attacks on Indians in his country were indeed racist in nature and pressed the need to build strong ties with New Delhi.

“If any of these attacks have been racist in nature - and it seems clear some of them have - they will be punished with the full force of the law,” the minister told parliament.

He said the wave of attacks on Indian students and others of Indian origin in Australia since last year had cast a long shadow not only over educational links but across the broader bilateral agenda.