Australian delegation faces flak from lawyers for attacks on Indians

Ahmedabad Bar Association (ABA) today boycotted meeting an Australian delegation in protest against racial attacks on Indians in the country.

The Australian delegation, comprising five federal judges and two academicians, was supposed to have an interactive session with law fraternity here as part of Indo-Australian judicial exchange programme.

"When Indians are being beaten up and killed in Australia everyday and yet nobody has been convicted in any of the cases, why have they (Australian delegation) come here to observe our judicial system," ABA vice president Parag Gandhi said.

"They should first go and improve their judicial system and then come here," he said.

"We boycotted the meeting and interaction with them as a sign of protest," he added.

Judges of federal court of Australia justices Annabelle Bennet, Bruce Lander, Andrew Greenwood, judge Flower of family court, judge Reg Blanch of district court and academicians, professor Adriene Stone of Melbourne University and Hannah Clau-Saunders were part of the delegation.

The delegation is supposed to visiting local courts and participate in workshops at various places in India.

Indo-Australian Exchange Programme is an initiative by  National Judicial Academy and the federal court of Australia on 'Protecting Rights and Improving Access to Justice'.