Demonstrators carrying a flag of India shout slogans during a protest by Indian students in central Sydney June 7, 2009. The students demanded the government and police take action against people behind a series of violent attacks on Indian students. The attacks, which Indian media have called race-based, caused some diplomatic discomfort between the two countries and sparked angry protests in India. Australia's government condemned the attacks but said racism was not behind them. PHOTO/ REUTERS SYDNEY, Sunday Hundreds of Indian students marched in Sydney today to protest against a spate of violent attacks that victims have called racist, witnesses said. The attacks caused some diplomatic discomfort between the two countries and sparked angry protests in India. Australia’s Government condemned the attacks and has launched an inquiry into them. Carrying Indian flags and chanting slogans, the protesters marched through the city calling for more action to protect their rights. Student and part-time taxi-driver Navjot Singh described to the rally how he was recently slashed in the face, saying police were powerless to deal with the violence. The march follows a large demonstration a week ago in Melbourne, where most of the attacks have occurred. The protests come after four Indian students were attacked with a screwdriver by a gang at a Melbourne party last month. Another Indian student was attacked in what appeared to be a robbery, and there were three other attacks in early May, including two on Indian taxi drivers. Australia’s international student sector is the country’s third-largest export earner, behind oil and coal. Some 93,000 Indian students study in Australia. Last month Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed concern over the incidents to his Australian counterpart, Kevin Rudd.Indian students in protest against racism
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Indian students in protest against racism
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Nearly 20 attacks on Indian students in the last one month have busted the myth of ‘safe destination, quality education’ in Australia.
"Around 15-20 Australians approached us outside the taxi stand asking for a dollar. When I showed them my empty pockets, they started beating up my friend and me"
3rd semester student of accounting, Melbourne Institute of Technology
"He was crying, on fire. He lay down on the ground and I put the blanket on him… I told him everything was going to be OK. He was asking: 'Is my face OK?"
flatmate of Rajesh Kumar, who was attacked with a petrol bomb
"After we reached Blackburn the passenger then asked me to take him to Ringwood when my taxi tyre went flat. I tried to tell him I won't be able to take him any further and he started abusing me… I have injuries on face, leg and hand. I have two broken tooth as well”
who was attacked by a drunken Australian passenger
India weighs into student attacks
Amitabh refuses Oz doctorate to protest racial attacks on Indians
Spicezee Bureau
Mumbai, May 30: In a mark of protest against the continuing attacks on Indians in Australia superstar Amitabh Bachchan refused to accept an honorary doctorate from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT).
The 66-year-old last week agreed to accept the honour from the Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, but has now reconsidered his decision. The University’s highest honorary award was to be conferred upon Big B at a major public event on July 30, at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, to recognise his outstanding contribution to creative industries over several decades.
In his blog post at bigb.bigadda.com Bachchan wrote he had written to the University politely declining the offer. “Under the prevailing circumstances I find it inappropriate at this juncture, to accept this decoration,” he wrote in his letter.
“My conscience is profoundly unsettled at the moment and there seems to be a moral disjuncture between the suffering of these students and my own approbation.”
However, he added that, “I have the highest respect for your illustrious Institution and wish to express my deepest regard for the recognition it bestows me with. I do not wish to offend in any manner this kind gesture by the Queensland University of Technology, but I do hope that you will understand my present feelings.”
The actor has earlier asked his "extended family (EF)" - members of his blog - to decide if his move was justified or not.
"Am I right in thinking so? And if yes, then is my act of refusing the honour justified or not? I shall put this up as my poll question and shall feel obliged if EF can indicate to me their opinion, for me to be able to take the correct action," he said.
Australia has recently seen a series of attacks against Indian students, the most serious being the assault of Shravan Kumar, a 25-year-old student from Andhra Pradesh who is battling for life in a hospital after being stabbed by a screwdriver by a group of teens in a weekend attack that also left three of his friends injured.
On Sunday night, hospitality graduate Rajesh Kumar received 30 percent burns after a petrol bomb was flung into his home in Sydney that he shared with other Indians.
Yadu Singh, a cardiologist and community leader in Sydney, said there have been at least 20 incidents of "curry bashing" in his city in the past month but most attacks on Indian students went unreported out of fear.
Amitabh is only the second person from India, after IT leader Narayan Murthy, to be chosen for such an honour from QUT.
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