Australia, land of racism

NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday expressed shock over the racist attack on four Indian students in Melbourne and asked Australia to take steps to prevent such incidents on Indian students. Reminding Australian authorities of their responsibility, external affairs minister S M Krishna said he was appalled by the racist attack, which has left 25-year-old student, Sravan Kumar Theerthala, battling for his life.

���I have been appalled by the attack on our students in Melbourne. Our consulate general in Melbourne has been in touch with the students affected and with the state police,��� Mr Krishna said in a statement.

India���s high commissioner in Canberra, Sujata Singh, rushed to Melbourne where Theerthala, a student of automotive engineering at Cambridge International College, is battling for his life. Agency reports quoted Kumar���s friend, Sinivas Gandhi, who was also a victim of the attack, as saying that the attackers abused them and told them to go back to India . He further said the police had asked them to take care of their own security and been told that the police ���can���t go on protecting each and everyone��� .

The three other students were discharged after medical treatment, but Kumar, who lived in Australia for two years, is in ICU. All four students are from Andhra Pradesh. ���Our high commissioner in Canberra has rushed to Melbourne to take stock of the situation and to ensure that the student , who has been seriously injured, receives the best possible treatment and that the culprits are brought to book,��� Mr Krishna said.

The minister said India has also taken up the issue with Australia . ���We will also impress upon the Australian authorities that such attacks should not be permitted and that it is their responsibility to ensure the well-being and security of our students studying in Australia,��� he added.

There have been a number of attacks against Indian students. On May 9, 21-year-old Sourabh Sharma was beaten up in a train by seven men. The student was beaten up for refusing to give his attackers a cigarette.