Our Correspondent
Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj has asked minister of state General VK Singh to meet heads of missions of African countries in New Delhi to palcate their anger over attack on some African students in India.
She has also assured the countries of India’s commitments to the safety and security of African nationals in India, informing of this decision on twitter she added that general VK Singh will hold meetings with African students in metro cities to assure them of their safety and security.
She has also said that she will request state governments to sent the director generals of police in the state to such meetings, the govt will also launch sensitization program to reiterate that such incidents against foreign nationals embarrass the country.
Frequent attacks on African youths in India triggered a diplomatic downturn on Tuesday with African diplomats announcing that they are likely to recommend to their governments “not to send new students to India” because of “stereotypes and racial prejudice against Africans in India”.
The African Group of Heads of Mission declared that it would not join the May 25 Africa Day celebrations, in solidarity with Masunda Kitada Oliver, a Congolese student who was killed last week in Delhi.
“Given the pervading climate of fear and insecurity in Delhi, the African Heads of Mission are left with little option than to consider recommending to their governments not to send new students to India, unless and until their safety can be guaranteed,” a statement from Alem Tsehage Woldemariam, Ambassador of Eritrea and Dean of the group said.
Following a meeting of the group in the High Commission of Ghana on Tuesday, senior African diplomats met officials at the External Affairs Ministry, and called upon India “to take concrete steps to guarantee the safety and security of Africans”