The comments by Simon Overland, Victoria's police chief commissioner came as the 21-year old Indian migrant Nitin Garg, who was stabbed here last week, was cremated in his home town near Ludhiana.
A top Australian police officer today said Indians were far more safer here than in their own country, even as New Delhi asked Canberra to take "all possible steps" to contain assaults on the community.
Simon Overland, Victoria's police chief commissioner, said Indians were far more safer in Australia than in their own country. "Look at the data. Indians are safer in this country than they are in their own country," Overland told a group of reporters.
His comments came as the 21-year old Indian migrant Nitin Garg, who was stabbed here last week, was cremated in his home town near Ludhiana.
In a strong message, Overseas Indian affairs minister Vayalar Ravi today asked Australia to take "all possible steps" to contain assaults on Indians, saying it was their "primary responsibility".
Ravi said Australia will have to convince the Indian government and the people of this country about steps taken to protect Indian citizens. Meanwhile, acting foreign minister Simon Crean also
said he does not believe that racism is on the rise in Australia.
Crean said Australia is a tolerant and anti-racist society, but there is no guarantee everyone subscribes to those values. Crean said in the most recent cases, he does not believe race was an issue.
Twenty-nine-year-old Jaspreet Singh was set on fire by a group of four assailants here last week in the latest attack on Indians in Australia.
"It's not only the Victorian police saying that there is no evidence in either case that the attacks, the murder and then the subsequent attack were racially based," the acting foreign minister said.
"I think it's also important in terms of the most recent incident, that a relative of Mr Singh, the victim of the recent attack, also doesn't believe it was racially based," Crean said. He has also welcomed a move by the Indian government to urge media restraint over the latest attack.
The ministry of external affairs has urged journalists to show the utmost restraint in covering the story.
Overseas Indian affairs minister Ravi also underlined the need for the Australian government to step up security for Indians in a bid to convince them about their safety.
"Australia needs to take all possible steps to ensure security of our citizens. They need to convince not only the government but also the people of the country about steps taken to ensure safety of our citizens," Ravi told PTI in New Delhi.
Meanwhile, Australia's acting foreign minister said he is happy with the Indian government's call for calm. "I think that demonstrates the strength of the effort that's been put in to date," he said.
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