With BJP accusing the Centre of not taking up strongly the racial attacks on Indian students in Australia, the Government on Friday said it was doing its “utmost” to register “absolute displeasure and concern” over the issue with Canberra.
“We are doing our utmost to register our absolute displeasure and concern about what is happening to our citizens in Australia,” Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur told reporters on the sidelines of the India-Iceland renewable Energy Workshop here.
She was commenting on Government’s criticism by the opposition for not doing much for the safety of Indian students in Australia.
“I think almost on a daily basis the situation is being monitored,” the minister added.
Terming the latest attack on a cab driver on Friday and the incident of fire in a Gurudwara there as unfortunate, Ms. Kaur said, “We can only hope that Australia gets its act together like they are telling us and brings the perpetrators to book.”
She added that the Government was trying to get details of yesterday’s attack on a Gurudwara in Melbourne.
Asked if Government was planning to any steps to discourage students from going there, Ms. Kaur said the External Affairs Ministry had already issued an advisory on the issue.