ID :
68377
Tue, 06/30/2009 - 10:43
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/68377
The shortlink copeid
Oz Indian student body now says, "not all attacks were racist" By Natasha Chaku
Melbourne, Jun 29 (PTI) An Indian student group that
spearheaded the campaign against a spate of racial attacks on
the community in Australia now says that all such assaults
were "not racist", even as the the two persons injured in the
latest incident have been identified as Indians.
The stand of FISA (Federation of Indian Student
Association) is likely to calm down prevailing hysteria in the
country, which has witnessed a total of 19 such incidents.
"Two Indian students have been assaulted in Sydney's
CBD overnight, with one man suffering cuts to his face after
being hit by a beer bottle," the ABC reported about the
incident that took place Sunday.
Giving a new twist to its earlier made statements,
FISA now stated that, "not all attacks were racist."
"It will be unfair to say that all attacks were racist
or all Australians were racist. However, we will still take
attacks on its face value," organisation's spokesperson Gautam
Gupta said.
Stating that while there was a very thin line to
indicate whether the attack was a racial one or was a petty
crimes, Gupta maintained "there is an urgent need to take an
action against such attacks that are growing in numbers
across the Australia over the past few years."
Speaking to a visiting Indian media delegation here
along with the Australian media, Gupta said that in most of
the cases, the attacks ended with a racial slur.
However, few assaults were racist attacks like the one
that left a 25-year old student Rajesh Kumar in Sydney with 30
per cent burn after attackers hurled a petrol bomb on his
house where motive was not robbery or anything else.
According to Ravi Bhatia, Primus Australia Chief, said
there was no such evidence that could show if there was a
planned or organised racial attacks in Australia.
Bhatia, who have been blaming media on making an
overreaction on the Indian students attack said that he never
faced any racism in Australia and the country was absolutely
safe for any student or traveller.
Yadu Singh, a reputed cardiologist from Sydney, said
there were more crimes in India and more racism in India as
compared to Australia.
"We cant call all sorts of crimes that happens to
Indians as a racist crimes," he said. Meanwhile, ABC report
yesterday quoted statements from team of visiting Indian media
delegation as saying that they do not believe recent attacks
on Indian students were acts of racism.
"There is this huge impression right now in the
country about what's happening," according to a visiting
Indian journalist.
She said, "I think there's a huge concern for Indian
students, so what we are reporting from here would be of great
importance, as in it would at least lay to rest some doubts
that Indians would be having right now about every student
being attacked."
Earlier, a statement issued by a leading Indian origin
Australian media professionals quoted Pawan Luthra, Editor and
Publisher of Indian Link and owners of Link Radio station
channel said, "The reportage by Indian media on the students’
issue moved rapidly from reporting to downright alarmist."
"They should have known better than to take the bait
of the race card from interested parties. Were there any
supporting stories on other angles on the issue - other
migrant communities, the legal safeguards against racism in
this society? Good journalism was sacrificed for the sake of
sensational headlines."
"It is sad that students are being attacked but even
sadder that Indian media has put on racial overtones on
criminal incidents particularly in a country which has one of
the most vibrant multicultural societies with strict legal
safeguards against racism," he said.
Australia's leading expert on Indian cinema and ex
head of Film & Media Council Anupam Sharma said, "The wave of
unjustified and wrong Anti-Australia feeling brought on by
relentless sensational media coverage is now creating a
bigger and more unfortunate victim – The Indo-Australian Ties.
Indian media cannot let few people hijack the
reputation of a great country Australia”
Deepak Malhotra, who hosts one of the most popular and
longest running Hindi talk show had said, "The nature of the
crime committed has no racist overtones. I have lived here for
36 years and have not experienced racism once." PTI NC
PMR
NNNN
spearheaded the campaign against a spate of racial attacks on
the community in Australia now says that all such assaults
were "not racist", even as the the two persons injured in the
latest incident have been identified as Indians.
The stand of FISA (Federation of Indian Student
Association) is likely to calm down prevailing hysteria in the
country, which has witnessed a total of 19 such incidents.
"Two Indian students have been assaulted in Sydney's
CBD overnight, with one man suffering cuts to his face after
being hit by a beer bottle," the ABC reported about the
incident that took place Sunday.
Giving a new twist to its earlier made statements,
FISA now stated that, "not all attacks were racist."
"It will be unfair to say that all attacks were racist
or all Australians were racist. However, we will still take
attacks on its face value," organisation's spokesperson Gautam
Gupta said.
Stating that while there was a very thin line to
indicate whether the attack was a racial one or was a petty
crimes, Gupta maintained "there is an urgent need to take an
action against such attacks that are growing in numbers
across the Australia over the past few years."
Speaking to a visiting Indian media delegation here
along with the Australian media, Gupta said that in most of
the cases, the attacks ended with a racial slur.
However, few assaults were racist attacks like the one
that left a 25-year old student Rajesh Kumar in Sydney with 30
per cent burn after attackers hurled a petrol bomb on his
house where motive was not robbery or anything else.
According to Ravi Bhatia, Primus Australia Chief, said
there was no such evidence that could show if there was a
planned or organised racial attacks in Australia.
Bhatia, who have been blaming media on making an
overreaction on the Indian students attack said that he never
faced any racism in Australia and the country was absolutely
safe for any student or traveller.
Yadu Singh, a reputed cardiologist from Sydney, said
there were more crimes in India and more racism in India as
compared to Australia.
"We cant call all sorts of crimes that happens to
Indians as a racist crimes," he said. Meanwhile, ABC report
yesterday quoted statements from team of visiting Indian media
delegation as saying that they do not believe recent attacks
on Indian students were acts of racism.
"There is this huge impression right now in the
country about what's happening," according to a visiting
Indian journalist.
She said, "I think there's a huge concern for Indian
students, so what we are reporting from here would be of great
importance, as in it would at least lay to rest some doubts
that Indians would be having right now about every student
being attacked."
Earlier, a statement issued by a leading Indian origin
Australian media professionals quoted Pawan Luthra, Editor and
Publisher of Indian Link and owners of Link Radio station
channel said, "The reportage by Indian media on the students’
issue moved rapidly from reporting to downright alarmist."
"They should have known better than to take the bait
of the race card from interested parties. Were there any
supporting stories on other angles on the issue - other
migrant communities, the legal safeguards against racism in
this society? Good journalism was sacrificed for the sake of
sensational headlines."
"It is sad that students are being attacked but even
sadder that Indian media has put on racial overtones on
criminal incidents particularly in a country which has one of
the most vibrant multicultural societies with strict legal
safeguards against racism," he said.
Australia's leading expert on Indian cinema and ex
head of Film & Media Council Anupam Sharma said, "The wave of
unjustified and wrong Anti-Australia feeling brought on by
relentless sensational media coverage is now creating a
bigger and more unfortunate victim – The Indo-Australian Ties.
Indian media cannot let few people hijack the
reputation of a great country Australia”
Deepak Malhotra, who hosts one of the most popular and
longest running Hindi talk show had said, "The nature of the
crime committed has no racist overtones. I have lived here for
36 years and have not experienced racism once." PTI NC
PMR
NNNN
