New Delhi, September 25: Premier of Australia’s Victoria state John Brumby on Friday gave more assurances to the Indian government that Australia is committed to providing a safe and secure environment to all the foreign students living there including those from India.
Brumby, who is currently touring India to assuage any fears in India in view of a string of racial attacks on Indian students in Australia, said, “We have tightened laws in the State of Victoria to prevent racial attacks on foreign students.”
The visiting Victorian PM also met Union Cabinet Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi in New Delhi.
Ravi also assured that he will take up all cases of complaints with the Australia government.
However, Ravi exuded confidence by saying that the Oz Police is doing their job over reports of racial attacks.
Melbourne, the capital of Victoria, is where most of the attacks on Indians took place.
The fresh assurance from the Victorian Prime Minister comes a day after he said that racist attacks are unacceptable and that Australia is committed to providing security and good education to the foreign students.
“We’ll give police more powers and more resources to make sure we get the message out clearly in the community. Anybody who undertakes acts of racism or violence in Victoria will feel the full force of the law,” Brumby said.
He also assured that the Australian government is considering introducing special legislation to counter such attacks, as it will help the judiciary to decide whether the crime is racist or not and further ensure severe punishment for the culprit.
Ensuring security as well as quality education for the students in Australia, the Victorian Premier said that the government will keep a thorough check on the private institutes which are providing short term courses.
However it may be noted that private colleges have been in the limelight for the racist attacks as well as closing down of the campuses mid-term, leaving the students in a helpless situation.
–Agencies