Thaindian News

New Delhi, Jan 15 (IANS) Under fire from the opposition over continuing attacks on Indian students in Australia, the government Friday said it was doing its “utmost” to convey “absolute displeasure and concern” to Canberra and the situation was being monitored on daily basis.
“We are doing our utmost to register our absolute displeasure and concern about what is happening to our citizens in Australia,” Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

“I think almost on a daily basis the situation is being monitored,” the minister said when asked about the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) criticism that the government was not doing enough for the security of Indian students in Australia.

“It is very unfortunate that even this morning it has come to light, as you are saying, that a cab driver has been assaulted,” she said alluding to Friday’s assault on an Indian cab driver by allegedly drunk passengers in Melbourne.

On the fire at an under-construction gurdwara in Melbourne early this week, she said: “The incident of the arson at the gurdwara was very unfortunate.”

“We can only hope that Australia does get its act together like they are telling us, and they get the perpetrators and bring them to book, and they are punished,” Kaur added.

Canberra again underlined its determination to punish those involved in attacks on Indian students.

Australian High Commissioner Peter Varghese Friday said his government was determined to take action against those involved in attacks on Indian nationals but said it was not right to draw hasty conclusions on the motives behind the violence.

“A total of 34 people have been arrested so far in connection with cases involving Indians in Victoria alone,” Varghese said in a statement.

“Some cases have been finalised by the courts, leading to stiff sentences. For example, three men found guilty of attacking Indian-born doctor Mukesh Haikerwal were sentenced to eight-and-half, sixteen-and-half and nine years in jail respectively in November 2009.”

There have been a string of attacks on Indians in Australia, triggering an outcry in India and forcing the Indian government to issue an advisory to students studying Down Under.

Two attacks proved fatal. The body of Ranjodh Singh, an Indian-born seasonal work contractor, was found dead Dec 29. Accountancy graduate Nitin Garg was fatally stabbed in Melbourne Jan 2.

An Indian was set on fire in Melbourne Jan 9 while another Indian was assaulted at Coogee beach in Sydney Jan 11.