Australian racist gets 3 months for assaulting Indian

NEW DELHI: Australia took a small step on Friday towards living up to its promise of taking action against those behind attacks on Indians with a court sentencing an Australian to three months jail for racially abusing and assaulting an Indian taxi driver.

Twelve hours after the incident took place, an Australian court sentenced Paul John Brogden, 48, who pleaded guilty to racially abusing 24-year-old Satheesh Thatipamula. While sentencing the man to an immediate three-month jail term, magistrate Michelle Hodgson, according to reports, said she must consider “general deterrence”.

“Regardless of race, violence toward people in vulnerable positions, performing valuable services to the community, valuable jobs like driving taxis, violence toward these people will not be tolerated.” The magistrate also said “alcohol fueled violence in our community is a real scourge”.

Thatipamula was abused , assaulted and his vehicle damaged by Brogden, who believed the driver had taken him the wrong way. Brogden’s lawyer Philip Lynch said he had consumed so much alcohol he could not remember any details of the incident.

Attacks against Indians are now being reported almost everyday with Australia’s image as a student-friendly destination badly hit. In majority of cases, Australian police rules out racial motive. A racial motive was ruled out by Australia in the attempted arson of a gurdwara also.

The government here said that India’s absolute displeasure and concern over the continuing attacks had been conveyed to the Australian authorities. Minister of state for external affairs Preneet Kaur called the most recent attacks against the taxi driver and a gurdwara unfortunate.

“We are doing our utmost to register our absolute displeasure and concern about what is happening to our citizens in Australia,” Ms Kaur said, adding: “I think almost on a daily basis the situation is being monitored.” She said the government hopes “Australia gets its act together like they are telling us and bring the perpetrators to book.”

Information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni said that there was a need for reassurance from Australia that it will take action against attackers and bring the situation under control. “I do feel that a certain clarity or a certain reassurance from Australia should be forthcoming so that the sense of insecurity and fear which is there in Indian students there and their families especially in India can be assuaged,” she said.