Krishna asks Indian students in Australia to show restraint

New Delhi, June 9 (PTI) Concerned over reports of some
Indian students in Australia retaliating in the wake of spate
of attacks on them, the Indian Government Tuesday asked them
to exercise restraint.

"I would like to urge the Indian students to be
patient and show restraint. They have gone there (Australia)
for higher studies. They should concentrate on that rather
than retaliate," India's External Affairs Minister S M Krishna
told reporters outside Parliament Tuesday.

He said the Australian government has given "fullest
assurance" that steps will be taken to ensure the safety of
Indian students.

A 20-year-old man was stabbed in Melbourne Monday
after he had allegedly racially abused a group of Indian
students here in possibly the first act of retaliation.

According to reports, Indian students had formed
groups to patrol troubled areas in Melbourne to prevent racial
attacks on the community members. They were asked by the
Australian police to stop the practise and let them do their
jobs.

Asked if there was any reduction in the number of
staff members in the Indian embassy in Australia due to cost
cutting, Krishna said the government will examine the issue.
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