New Delhi: The External Affairs ministry on Friday called Australian High Commissioner John McCarthy and conveyed its concern over the alleged racist attacks on Indian students in Melbourne.
N Ravi, Secretary (East) in the ministry, met the Australian envoy and sought assurance about the safety of Indian students in Australia.
McCarthy envoy assured that the government of Victoria state has taken a number of steps to ensure that these attacks do not take place again.
The envoy, however, differed with the growing perception that these attacks were racist in nature. "I have not seen the evidence that they are racist. Australia is a multi-cultural society," he said.
He termed the attacks as "criminal activity". "My own view is that it was a clear criminal activity. I have not seen the evidence of (it being) racist," he said.
McCarthy condemned the attacks on Indian students and said Australia has taken measures to "diminish" such incidents. "Some racism exists in Australia. It's appalling," he said.
Australian police officers have said these attacks were not driven by racial hostility, but India's high commissioner in Australia Sujatha Singh on Friday rejected claims from the Australian police that these attacks were not driven by racial hostility.
There would be increased patrols around trouble spots in Melbourne to curb these attacks, said Singh after meeting the police in Melbourne.
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said he was horrified at the attacks but defended the police response. "Any act of violence, any decent human being just responds with horror at the sorts of attack which have occurred recently...but the key thing is to make sure our law enforcement authorities are doing the best they can. I am confident they are," he was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said he was appalled at the attacks and asked the Australian authorities to ensure the safety of Indians and bring the culprits to justice.
He also asked the Australian authorities to ensure that "the student who has been seriously injured receives the best possible treatment and that the authorities ensure that the culprits are brought to book".
Overseas Minister Vayalar Ravi assured families of the students the government is with them. “I have taken up the matter with the Australian government. I want to convey my message to the students’ families that the government is with them,” he told CNN-IBN.
Meanwhile, Sravan Kumar Theerthala, a 25-year-old Indian student who was assaulted Sunday in Melbourne along with three other students, continues to battle for his life in the intensive care unit in Royal Melbourne Hospital.
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