Recently Bollywood actors Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan spoke about the racial attacks towards Indian students who are studying in Australia. The actors were disturbed when they heard about the horrifying acts on Indian students like Sharvan Kumar. A group of Australian teenagers stabbed Kumar with a screw driver leaving Kumar in a coma. He is just one of the many students who have been a victim of hate crimes in Australia.
Amitabh Bachchan was so disheartened by the attacks that he politely declined the honorary degree he was to receive by Brisbane University in Australia. He wrote, "I mean no disrespect to the institution that honors me, but under the present circumstances, where citizens of my own country are subjected to such acts of inhuman horror, my conscience does not permit me to accept this decoration from a country that perpetrates such indignity to my fellow countrymen".
Along with Bachchan, Aamir Khan is another member of the Bollywood fraternity who spoke in regards to this issue. In his recent blog he shared his thoughts about the Shravan Kumar attack. "[It was] most disturbing to hear about racist attacks on Indians living in Australia. Quite a shame. While this doesn't mean that all
Australians are racists, the frequency and seriousness of such attacks, I think, calls for an extraordinary reaction from the Australian authorities. And while we want action to be taken by authorities in Australia, equally we should remember all the various crimes against foreigners who visit India," the actor said adding, "Let us hope and pray that Shravan recovers soon."
Australia attracted approximated 95,000 Indian students through their 3.5 million dollar campaign that was designed to bring in Indian students to combat recession. However, if these hate crimes are not addressed Australia will see less Indian students enroll in their institutions.
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