An eight member high powered Australian delegation headed by .Colin Walters,Department of Education Employment and Workplace Relations late last evening called on S.C. Agarwal, Chief Secretary Punjab and assured him that the Indian students most of them are from Punjab origin were completely safe in Australia.
The meeting was aimed at strengthening the Australia-India Education relations and to outline steps that would ensure safety of Indian students pursuing higher studies in Australia.
The other members of the delegation were Tulip Chaudhary, Department of Education Employment and Workplace Relations, Tony Zalewski, CEO of the Australian institute of Public Safety and member Victoria Executive Committee of the Australian Council for Private Education and Training, Annie Santhana, State Government of Victoria, Paul Windsor, Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Australian High Commission, New Delhi,Priya Raja, Advisor, Australian High Commission, New Delhi, Shekhar Nambiar, Senior Public Affairs Advisor, Australian High Commission, New Delhi and Tim Huggins, First Secretary (Political and Economic) Australian High Commission, New Delhi
Interacting with the members of the Australian delegation Agarwal asked them to ensure security of the life of Indian students at all costs. Expressing concern over the safety of the Indian students, the Chief Secretary suggested that in order to strengthen the cultural – academic relations between India and Australia, frequent education fairs need be organized at the government level with more emphasis on mutual understanding and interaction with both these countries.
Aggarwal also said that a resolution urging the Central Government to take up issues of security of the students of Punjabi origin in Australia with the Australian Government was unanimously passed in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha during the recent Budget Session. The Chief Minister was very much concerned about the safety of the Punjabis living in Australian cities, said the Chief Secretary. He also suggested that an orientation programme for the students should be organized at New Delhi before they finally leave for Australia to pursue their studies so that they get attuned to the socio-cultural scenario of Australia.
Speaking on the occasion, Colin Walters said that it was unfortunate that the recent attacks on Indian students had caused some diplomatic discomfort between the two countries and sparked angry protests all over. The Australian government strongly condemned such attacks and has ordered an inquiry into them. He,however expressed deep anguish and concern over the allegations of racial discrimination leveled against the Australian government whereas in reality our government is a strong votary of inter national peace and had launched a crusade against the acts of world wide racial discrimination since 1975, said Walters. He .pointed out that there were nearly half a million students across the globe who had come there in pursuit of higher education and our government was committed to safeguard the interests of these students as ours was the biggest nation for demonstrating the cosmopolitan character of student community .The Australian Government has also evolved a nation strategy for foreign students to ensure their safety. He also assured swift action against the criminals nabbed attacking the Indian students.The situation was well under control and the Indians were living as a community in our country, said Walters.
On the Punjab side along with the Chief Secretary, A.R.Talwar, Principal Secretary Home, KBS Sidhu Principal Secretary Higher Education, Anjali Bhawara, Secretary Medical Education V.K. Bhawra, I.G. Intelligence,B.Purusharth, Director, Technical Education, and Vikas Partap, Commissioner NRI Affairs were also present.
Posted By Staff Reporter
in Punjab News
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