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June 2009 Edition
News and Analyses from the Indian Subcontinent
The Ugly Australian and the Indian Political Response
As news of an
unabated series of racially charged violence against Indian students
has reached India, and the Indian diaspora, disingenuous denials of
racism by Australian police officers, politicians and several
mainstream journalists have only served to reinforce the image of the "Ugly Australian".
Founded as a
penal colony for hundreds of thousands of Britain's unreformable
gangsters and criminals, modern Australian started out as a colonial
settler state that rivalled apartheid South Africa in its racism
towards people of color. While the Australian aboriginals were the
primary victims of its barely concealed racial prejudice, it was only a
few decades ago when Australia finally abandoned its Whites only
immigration policies.
As Europe's population was shrinking or stagnating, Australia's
immigrant-supported economy couldnot rely on a steady stream of
European immigrants to provide it the dynaism it needed. With white
immigration falling rapidly, Australia needed new blood, so its
political elite had little choice but to open the doors to Asian
immigration.
Initially, the Australian government worked hard to attract immigrants
from China and the ASEAN block. Indian students were wooed in a big way
only after Indian scientists and engineers had already made a name for
themselves in the US and Europe.
Notwithstanding Australia's shamelessly racist behaviour on the sports
field, many Indians took up Australian offers for affordable post
graduate education and subsequent opportunities for permanent residency
and naturalization.
It should be emphasized that no significant Indian migration to
Australia took place until the Australian government itself began
inviting young Indians to come and study in the country. The Australian
government launched an advertizing blitz in the Indian media
emphasizing how it could provide a safe and affordable environment for
Indians to earn advanced college degrees and find gainful employment in
Australia.
Indians had not begged for visas - they were not showing up as economic
or political refugees on Australian shores. Nor was there any serious
problem with illegal immigration, or Indians being involved in any sort
of large-scale criminal or terrorist activity.
In fact, one of the main reasons that the Australian government had
targeted its advertizing campaigns at potential Indian students was the
hard-earned reputation of Indians being 'model minorities'. Indians had
established a world-wide claim to academic excellence, to diligence and
competence in the work place, and to being personally and socially
responsible members of society. In the US, Indians were the least
likely to be involved in crime, and seldom, (if ever), required welfare
payments from the state. Without a doubt, Indians in America were
amongst the most well-adjusted, likeable immigrants a nation could wish
for. Bringing a culture of scientific, technological and intellectual
precocity, they were a valuable asset to American industry, and
the Australian rulers simply wanted a share of what India's best and
brightest had to offer.
But as recent events have shown, Australians have wanted all the
benefits that Indians could bring to them, but have not wished to take
on any of the responsibility that must come with hosting invited
immigrants. Even as the Australian press has rued the possibility that
Australia may not be able to milk the Indian cash cow for too long,
none of its political leaders have demonstrated any genuine
statesemanship, or a sincere commitment to protecting the safety of
helpless Indians.
Universities have been feeble and lethargic in providing basic security
even as police officers have routinely looked the other way when
desperate Indian students have sought help from law enforcement
officials. Blatant and vicious acts of racial violence have been
dismissed as "opportunistic attacks" even in cases where the evidence
has overwhelmingly pointed to racial jealousy and hatred being the
instrumental cause for the attacks.
Most shockingly, much of the Australian press has resorted to reporting
that has been duplicitious and offensive. Australian newspapers have
carried articles attempting to deflect blame by pointing to acts of
intolerance in India, conveniently forgetting the role of the
Australian press and government in seducing Indians to come to
Australia in the first place. In any case, when Indians are paying for
their education, they are entitled to get what they pay for, and to not
have to worry about their very survival in an alien country.
Furthermore, when the BJP protested the racial attacks, "The Australian" responded with a headline to the effect "Hindu Extremists"
protest in India. Instead of attacking the Australian establishment
that was allowing the racist and criminal thugs to go upunished,
sections of the Australian press were engaging in the type of vicious
Hindu-baiting that ought to have no place in any civilized society.
And while individual Australians showed remarkable humanity, there was
little organized political activity on behalf of (or in solidarity
with), protesting Indians. Australia's peace and labor activists have
been conspicuously silent or absent, even as its dodgy politicians have
responded with little more than empty platitudes.
Under such circumstances, the responsibility to ratchet up the pressure
on the Australian government squarely fell on the shoulders of the
Indian government and the leaders of India's major political parties.
But unfortunately, with the exception of Mr Advani and other leaders of
the BJP (and the Shiv Sena), the Indian political establishment has
shown itself to be remarkably pusillanimous (or indifferent).
India's sorry excuse for a Prime Minister has done little more than
express "concern" while the present-day head of India's first political
dynasty, Madame Sonia has maintained a sphinx-like silence. The heir
apparent, Rahul Gandhi, has displayed greater concern for the
approbation of the Australian political elite than the angst and
suffering of Indian students in Australia.
Now that the election has been won, and political power rests firmly
within the hands of the dynasty, it is apparently more important not to
disturb or offend the sensibilities of Madame Sonia's white compatriots
in Australia than worry about the legitimate rights of Indians studying
abroad.
Even India's many aspiring prime-ministerial candidates from the
so-called "third front" or the "fourth front" have shown little of the
bravado that they showed when they repeatedly condemned Varun Gandhi's
justifiable remarks in defending Hindus who were alarmed by the rise in
acts of criminal violence and terror directed at them.
Even though a significant portion of the Indian student population
hails from the southern states, to date, there has been no significant
response from leaders such as Chandrababu Naidu, Deve Gowda or
Jayalalitha. Ambitious would-be Prime Ministers such as BSP's Mayawati (or the
NCP's Sharad Pawar) have also chosen to hold their peace, as have
voiciferous defenders of indicted terrorists such as Mulayam, A.B
Bardhan or Prakash Karat.
Never ones to refrain from Hindi-bashing, the Karats and the Gandhi
family are always in the fore front to condemn any example of Hindu
self-assertion (even when entirely legitimate or understandable),
but when it comes to defending Indians from egregious racial violence
abroad, this self-crowned moral police is nowhere to be seen.
Political
leaders who truly cared for (and selflessly represented) their citizens
would have not only spoken out (in the most uncompromising terms) to
condemn the racial attacks in Australia, they would also have pushed
for sterner measures once it became clear that the Australian
establishment was merely stalling or prevaricating.
In fact, the Indian government could have issued an advisory against
travel to Australia. It could have decided to end all cricketing and
other sports ties with Australia. It could have issued a ban on visas
for Australian missionaries (who only come to cause trouble anyway). It
could have banned the screening of all films shot in Australia and
banned Indian companies from advertizing on Australian media oulets and
barred cable companies from paying any revenues to Australian media
concerns as punishment for the lack of adequate solidarity (or
humanitarian concern) for Indians living in Australia.It could have also raised the issue in the UN Human Rights commission.
These are the sort of actions that could bring about real change in an Australia that seems to be overrun with racial conceit.
But so far, only the BJP and some of its allies have shown any spine and stood up for the rights of Indians.
Indians who care about how they are treated abroad need to take note.
While it is no surprise that the vain and egotistical politicians of
the third and fourth front have shown their impotence, patriotic
Indians should also think twice about maintaining the power of the
dynasty.
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India's Demographic
Transformation
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Back for other selections
from South Asian Voice for other articles on issues
confronting India and the region.
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