At long last the media and the government of Australia are paying attention to the plight of Indian students studying here. It’s about time. So why are the attacks on Indians making the news at last?

It’s because the students are fed up with being attacked by groups of thugs and have decided to not take it any more. Not surprisingly, many thugs are from Middle Eastern backgrounds. They travel in mobs as bullies do. They attack solitary Indians who are defenceless against a group of violent Lebanese who would be too chicken to attack a group of Indians but feel very, very brave when it’s one victim against a mob of thugs.

We have been exposed to the mob violence of Lebanese in the past. It was their constant verbal attacks on Australian girls in the suburb of Cronulla which sparked the conflict between Australian youths and Lebanese youths a few years ago. I was always amazed by how long it took for the Australian youths to finally decide that they had had enough of Lebanese provocation.

During the confrontation, many Lebanese were forced to run away from the fights and head for the police stations to ask for help. My, how brave is that…

I know quite a few Indians and am always impressed by their courtesy and kindness. But courtesy and kindness are not what will protect them against attacks by thugs of any persuasion. The police have to ensure that Indians are not scapegoated and if the police won’t do it, then the Indian students and their government will have to put more pressure on Australian security to do its job.

It has taken far too long for the authorities to take protective action. And if Australia’s reputation as a safe destination for foreign students has taken a beating, then that’s too bad.

There is a famous saying:- “It’s the squeaky door that get’s oiled”.

So good luck to the Indian students for protesting. Perhaps now they will get heard. I know the rest of the world is listening already and it doesn’t sound too good.