NEW DELHI: (AMN) India has lodged a strong protest with Australia against racist e-mails by its police officers against Indians. The External Affair Ministry Saturday summoned the Australian High Commissioner Peter Verghese and handed him a demarche conveying India’s deep resentment and concern over the issue.
India asked him the action taken Australian government against the police officers involved. New Delhi had made it clear that such an entrenched bias among sections of law enforcers towards the Indian community is a matter of serious concern and such behaviour and attitudes have no place in any society. New Delhi also said that Australia should take effective measures to address concerns regarding the safety of all people of Indian origin in Australia.
External Affairs Minister S.M Krishna had directed his Ministry to seek explanation from Peter Varghese after e-mails containing racial slurs against Indians by top Australian police officers was made public by the media.
The Australian High Commissioner said that his government has already condemned the incident and handed over copies of the statements made by the Premier of Victoria and the Chief Commissioner of the Victoria Police in this regard. “such an entrenched bias among sections of law enforcers towards the Indian community is a matter of serious concern”, he said
The email row has dealt a fresh blow to relations between Delhi and Canberra, which were damaged last year by a spate of attacks on Indian students.