We condemn racial attack on Indians: Kevin Rudd

Sydney, Jun 1: Kevin Rudd, the Australian Prime Minister promised to punish attackers of Indian students as the police freed the 18 students detained following massive anti-racism protests. He said to the Parliament in Canberra that Australians strongly deplored the string of attacks on Indians studying in the country.

"I speak on behalf of all Australians when I say that we deplore and condemn these attacks," Rudd said. "I said to (Manmohan) Singh that the more than 90,000 Indian students in Australia are welcome guests in our country ... and the more than 200,000 Australians of Indian descent are welcome members of the Australian family, he added.

He said that the appropriate action will be taken in all the cases.

Indian students represent about 18 percent of foreign students and are worth 2 billion Australian dollars ($1.6 billion) to the economy. Rudd said that Australia was a country of great diversity and tolerance. "That is why these recent acts of violence are all the more deplorable."

Meanwhile the Indian students who were released accused the police of brutality.

OneIndia News