Killing of Indian students across US is a concern

[sajiv]

Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi has said that besides urging Indian Americans to attend the 7th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas to be held from January 7-9 in Chennai, one of the priorities of his trip to the United States will be to ascertain the facts behind the spate of killings in recent months of India students across the US.

Ravi, who inaugurated the 15th national biennial convention of the National Federation of Indian Americans in Seattle, Washington, told rediff.com that the Government of India and his Ministry are committed to the safety and protection of Indian students in the US and anywhere in the world, and that during his visit he would meet with the relevant authorities in the US to make sure that the welfare of the Indian students is ensured.

He disclosed to rediff.com and NFIA members, that before he left for the US, a delegation of parliamentarians from Andhra Pradesh had met with him to express concern over the murders of Indian students in the US.

Departing from his prepared text, Ravi said, "Before I came, I received a delegation of members of Parliament from Andhra Pradesh. Anything that happens in any part of the world, in the globalised society that we are living, media will immediately pick it up."

Ravi said, "And then when follow up comes, we have to answer in Parliament and so, this is a problem. So, as soon as anything comes, immediately my first job is to talk to the ambassador in any part of the world or talk to the consul general in any part of the world -- immediately, I will be in touch with them. So, whenever, a delegation comes, at least I have some of the facts."

The Telugu Association of North America, in the wake of the majority of students killed being from Andhra Pradesh, had written to Ambassador Ronen Sen, expressing their deep concern and called on the envoy to investigate what they perceived as targeted killings of these students.

"Definitely, this is a matter of concern because every citizen of India in any part of the world, definitely, it is our concern also. Moreover, we (Indian) are the largest number of students studying in America -- I believe it has crossed the one lakh mark -- and many of them come from different parts of India."

But Ravi also exhorted the NFIA members that they too and other Indian American organisations all over the country have a certainly degree of responsibility towards these students and new immigrants from their motherland and should not always look to the Indian Ambassador or the consuls general whenever these tragic incidents happen.

"I believe you, the Indian community, your organisation, also must have a kind of watch and there must be an extension of some kind of a help whenever the new Indian students come here or some professors come and work here."

Ravi said, "Whenever, they need some kind of a help, I am sure the Indian associations, especially since every region has an association -- sometimes two or three associations and that is good -- we must help. Whenever, any incident comes, naturally, we cannot brush it away."

"Always, I look at the Indian community leaders here, Indian community associations," to extend some assistance and succour to these students and other new immigrants from India, since many of them are going overseas for the first time.

Source : Rediff news