India 'concerned' over Australia attacks

Nine MSN 16/01/2010

India's junior foreign minister says New Delhi has expressed its "absolute displeasure" to Australia over attacks on Indian students.

"We are doing our utmost to register our absolute displeasure and concern about what is happening to our citizens in Australia," the Press Trust of India news agency quoted Praneet Kaur as saying in New Delhi on Friday.

"I think almost on a daily basis the situation is being monitored," the junior foreign minister added.

The comments came less than a week after Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith telephoned his Indian counterpart S M Krishna to try to cool tensions over the attacks in Australian cities.

Information Minister Ambika Soni said New Delhi is seeking assurances Indians will be safe in Australia.

"A certain clarity or a certain reassurance from Australia should be forthcoming so that the sense of insecurity and fear which is there in the Indian students there and their families especially in India can be assuaged," she said.

Foreign Minister Krishna during his talks with Smith conveyed his "deep concern" over the incidents, which included an attempt by a group of men to set fire to an Indian man in Melbourne last week.

The string of attacks, which included the murder of a student this month in Melbourne, has prompted a strong reaction in the Indian press, with one newspaper likening Australian police to the Ku Klux Klan.

Indian media must wait for full facts while reporting on 'race' attacks: Australia

The Times of India 11/01/2010

MELBOURNE: Australia today asked the Indian media to exercise restraint and "wait for the full facts" while reporting on alleged racism in this

Acting Foreign Minister Simon Crean said it was too early to conclude that the recent attacks on Indians were racially motivated, an AAP report said.

"We are dealing with sensitive issues here, but the fact is... there is no evidence that they're racially based (attacks)," he said.

There has been a series of attacks on Indians, particularly students, in Australia over the last few months and the latest have resulted in two deaths, straining ties between the two countries.

Australia, however, has maintained that the latest attacks were not racist in nature, and cautioned against overreacting.

"It is far better to... wait for the full facts, we would urge the Indian newspapers to do that," Crean said.

"But I think that will fall on deaf ears in a number of cases because we are used to that," he said, referring to the continuous reports in the Indian media following several attacks on Indian nationals.

Crean had yesterday expressed satisfaction over the Indian government's "constructive and responsible advice" to the media to exercise restraint while reporting attacks on the community members here.

Cartoonist defends his Ku Klux Klan cartoon

News Com Au 08/01/2010

A CARTOONIST has defended his controversial work likening Australian police to Ku Klux Klan.

THE cartoonist, whose controversial cartoon was published in an Indian paper, said he was responding to a police failure to acknowledge racist attacks against Indians.

The cartoon, published in Delhi's Mail Today, drew condemnation across Australia from police and political leaders yesteray for showing a figure with an Australian police badge dressed in a pointed white hood.

It was published in response to homicide investigators in Victoria being unable to say if the recent killing of 21-year-old Indian student Nitin Garg in a Melbourne park was racially motivated.

The Ku Klux Klan-dressed officer in the cartoon states: "We are yet to ascertain the nature of the crime.''

Acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard condemned the cartoon yesterday as the Indian media continued to accuse Australia of not doing enough to solve the late-night stabbing.

"Any suggestion of that kind is deeply, deeply offensive to the police officers involved and I would absolutely condemn the making of a comment like that,'' Ms Gillard said.

The cartoonist, R Prasad, told AAP the cartoon depicted an official acceptance of racism by failing to act against race attacks.

VIDEO: Indians protest death of Indian student

VIDEO: Indians protest death of Indian student

Comments on this story

Martin of Sydney Posted at 2:25 PM Today

Have you ever had eggs pelted at you and your family just because of your race whilst walking down the street or at your house? This has happened to me numerous times and I lived in supposedly affluent Sydney’s north shore. You want to believe that Australia is not a racist country but these things happen more often then you think. Stop deflecting and start reflecting.

Drew of Surry Hills Posted at 2:25 PM Today

Some Australians are racist. Some indians are racist. As others have said - how do they treat Pakistanis? Bangladeshis? Tamils? Maybe the Delhi and Mumbai residents should be the ones walking around with white hoods on.

barry Posted at 2:25 PM Today

she is a raving lunatic is our Julia Gillard.Why she is even elevating the dialougue of this is beyond me.She is am emty vessel trying to be heard.Will someone shut her up and allow Police to handle the matter,that is all she has to say about it and any further commentary especially about a cartoon in a newspaper she has not even seen is immature and not befitting a PM let alone and actor of a PM.

Jessie of Sydney Posted at 7:31 AM Today

...wow, how very mature. Because EVERY SINGLE death of an Indian in Australia is always an act of racism? The police cannot always jump to such conclusions. I suggest whoever has the 'leap before you look' mentally pull your head out of where you stuck it.

bz22 Posted at 7:34 AM Today

Indians think Australians are racist? How about telling that to Andrew Symonds.

AD of Hobart Posted at 7:37 AM Today

How many people die each year from murder in their country? Do they catch every murderer within 24 hours. Do they call themselves the Ku Klux Khan? We dont force people to come to our country.......you come of your own free will.

Johnny Posted at 7:37 AM Today

I like how India are comparing us to the KKK when they are one of the most racist countries in the world. Pot calling Kettle

didi Posted at 7:38 AM Today

Not saying we don't have racist, stupid thugs out there but their carry on is very one sided. When things happen to foreigners in their country, some truly weird, and often illegal things go on.

Brett L of brisbane Posted at 7:39 AM Today

The cartoon doesn't bother me, it's called freedom of speech. And big deal people are murdered/raped/robbed daily in Australia. So what if he was Indian.

Bezza Posted at 7:39 AM Today

Comming from the Country that has the highest instances of Murder recorded in the world each year, it just goes to show how big a bunch of whiney boys Indians are. What utter hypocracy.

Edward of SEQ Posted at 7:40 AM Today

Isnt that Raaaacist!!

Sick of the rot of Darwin Posted at 7:40 AM Today

If the KFC add is racist then what is this cartoon? If thats there attitude then please stay home we dont need any more oxygen wasters here. I am sure that no visitor to India has ever been killed!!

Mike Posted at 7:40 AM Today

We have set up a carvan...and are enjoying the burgers, we have warned the cowardly perpetrator of the crime to come forward and surender. Till he does so our hands are tied. You see we are doing our best. Waht else can we do. By the way while we are waiting let us tell you Indians that even though we do not know who did it or why they did it our official soothsayer says there is no racial motivation. Because we Aussies get bashed on trains and raped in parks we dont think you guys should complain too much about it anyway. We actually think that because it is happening so often we should legalize this sort of thimg...public opinion you know.

not racist of australiat Posted at 7:42 AM Today

dont mean to be rude here, but is this the beginning of the end of he subcontinent migration? then not many people will miss it.

Paul Posted at 7:42 AM Today

How dare anyone label Australia as racist, especially against people from India, they are one of the most welcomed and respected immigrants to Australia, myself and everyone I know view them as generally hard working, not involved in any crime and have pretty good English skills, making them an asset to our society. I'm willing to bet that any Indian student being robbed of killed it is because they happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, if it was me or anyone else there we'd suffer the same fate!

Michael of Sydney Posted at 7:43 AM Today

And they are right. We still do not have any evidence that this crime was not committed by extra terrestrials.

not a chance Posted at 7:45 AM Today

this is just rong if we published anything so offensive iven if it was as justified as this is we would be getting complaints left right and center

AllStar of Victoria Posted at 7:47 AM Today

Now whose the racist?

Trevor Wood of Darwin Posted at 7:47 AM Today

I wonder how many crimes against foreigners in India are not solved. These people even whinge about cricket in parliament.

SADDENED POLICE OFFICER of ADELAIDE Posted at 7:48 AM Today

Oh come on. We like any other country have criminals among our midst. India certainly has and Australians have been murdered in India and other overseas nations. Further more it was because of their religious convictions. Personally I find the Indians who come to this country as lovely and polite people. To suggest our police are KKK is offensive and defamatory. Even more so as I am a serving police officer and I find racism disgusting.

lover of all of perth Posted at 7:49 AM Today

nothing racist about that is there?????? Im sick of being a racist because Im white.

Bart of Avoca Posted at 7:50 AM Today

has anyone thought to mention to the Indian High Commissioner that the homicide rate in India is several times what it is in Australia or that attacks on foreigners in India are common. In other words the Indian students are safer in Australia than they are in their own country. It's tragic that anyone is killed or assaulted but it's only the Indian equivalent of shock jocks who are stirring this out of proportion to sell newspapers or get viewers.

Melinda of newtown Posted at 7:50 AM Today

Maybe they should hold a protest and burn some shops and cars in protest. Fact is that people get beaten up, mugged and killed every day. It isn't because people hate indians, but its just that the indian ones get in the newspapers.

MattinBris of Bris Posted at 7:54 AM Today

And how will this bring the young man back to life ?

Vin of Sydney Posted at 7:54 AM Today

It is so clear that Indians are being targetted by short sighted Australians who see the influx of Indians as a threat. The fact that these young men and women come to Australia with the hope of making good for themselves and their family should not be seen as a threat but as a motivator for locals to stive for something somewhat similar. Rather, the attitude of the government is to turn a blind eye and overlook the fact that the country is ripe with racism. Instead they should be discouraging and ensuring this attitude is changed across the nation. Ensuring the security of foreigners whether students or tourists should be the first course of action as these people brings money into the country and the government knows they bring dollars to universities, and tourist create jobs for the country. Scaring off foreigners to this great nation will be to the detriment of Australia and the Labour party, police and community leaders should address this emphatically.

Fair for All of Sydney Posted at 7:54 AM Today

In ther interests of fairness, maybe the Indian newspapers should also report all the senseless, unmotivated murders or attacks committed on Anglo-Australians in recent times. There is no doubt we have a growing problem in Australia with these attacks, but it seems to be they are by no means restricted to the Indian student population. Bring back harsher penalties.

David of Sydney Posted at 7:55 AM Today

And they say we are racist?? Atleast we wouldn't publish cartoons like that here in australia! What a bunch of hypocrites!

Dave of Kingston Posted at 7:55 AM Today

I don't know why they bother trying to do the best they can when they get insulted like this. It is not the police's fault if someone gets murdered for their race.

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Indian 'Ku Klux Klan' cartoon deeply offensive, says Julia Gillard

News Com AU 08/01/2010

ACTING Prime Minister Julia Gillard has condemned a cartoon depicting a Victorian police officer as a member of the Ku Klux Klan.

The cartoon, published in Tuesday's edition of Delhi's Mail Today, shows an Australian police officer dressed in a white hood as a member of the Ku Klux Klan, saying: "We are yet to ascertain the nature of the crime".

The cartoon was in response to homicide investigators in Victoria stating they could not yet say if the murder of 21-year-old Indian student Nitin Garg in a Melbourne park was racially motivated.

Ms Gillard told reporters in Brisbane she hadn't seen the cartoon, but believed it would be "deeply offensive".

"Any suggestion of the kind is deeply offensive and I would condemn the making of such comment," she said.

Police were doing an outstanding job in cracking down on crime and increasing Indian students' safety, Ms Gillard said.

"The Victorian police have stepped up and increased policing in difficult hot spots in Victoria where they have seen a number of violent incidences," she said.

"They have worked in close collaboration with representatives of the Indian community as they have gone about with this step up in policing."

Victoria's police association earlier fired back at an Indian cartoonist who depicted members of the force as white supremacists, calling his artwork "highly offensive" and "outrageous".