External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna on Monday asked Indian students in Australia not to take the law into their own hands.
Referring to the incident of a few Indian students retaliating after they were attacked in Australia, Mr. Krishna told presspersons in Bangalore: “Self-defence is a fundamental human tendency. But I do not recommend Indian students in Australia to take the law into their [own] hands.”
If there were any problems, they could always take them up with the Indian Consulate in Australia. “I have asked the consulate to hold such meetings every Friday.”
‘Attacks on the wane’
Mr. Krishna said the attacks against Indians had reduced ever since he visited Australia recently and held talks with the authorities. Asked if it was racial, he said there could be more than one reason [for the attack] and “we will have to take up the incident with Australia.”
A group of Australians had allegedly abused Indians leaving after a kabaddi match and damaged their car, prompting them to retaliate. The incident took place at a car park outside the Meadowglen International Athletics Stadium in Epping when a local skateboarder damaged the rear window of a car belonging to an Indian.
Mr. Krishna termed some of the reports on Chinese incursions “exaggerated and alarmist.”
“Indo-China border is one of the peaceful borders,” he remarked and said some mechanisms had been evolved to amicably sort out any issues at the field level, with respect to the Indo-China border. Referring to the demand for securing the release of Vikram Buddhi, who has been convicted by the United States government for posting an ‘anti-Bush’ remark on the Internet, he said India had taken up the matter with the U.S. through diplomatic channels.
