PROTESTERS have marched on the Australian High Commission in New Delhi chanting anti-Australia slogans and appealing for the United Nations to intervene.
The National Students' Union of India called for the Indian government to make sure the UN ensures the security of its citizens in Australia.
This follows months of jingoistic and anti-Australian commentary in the Indian media.
Some estimates are that up to 4000 Indian students have cancelled plans to study in Australia in the past 12 months as a result of the global economic downturn and fears over rising violence.
Melbourne is second only to London in terms of population as a destination for international students. Last year more than 190,000 international students enrolled in Victorian education institutions.
The State Government yesterday opened a new 24-hour support and welfare service in Carlton for international students.
This one-stop shop offers students counselling, crisis accommodation, food aid and help with any other welfare needs.
Victorian Premier John Brumby admits there have been some racial attacks, but dismissed calls for the UN intervention as nothing but scaremongering.
"People wouldn't take that seriously," Mr Brumby said. "What we do take seriously is making sure that we continue to have the safest state in Australia and continue to condemn in the strongest possible terms any incidents of racially motivated violence."
But an Indian student union spokesman said "Indian students are being tortured in the same manner as Britishers harassed Indians a century ago".
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