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Indian students could make themselves less of a target if they do not display their expensive gadgets, Oliver told an international students’ safety forum here Saturday.
“Don’t display your iPods, don’t display your valuable watch, don’t display your valuable jewellery. Try to look as poor as you can,” Overland was quoted as saying by The Age.
The Victorian police chief commissioner said students could take some steps to protect themselves. “If you can live somewhere safer, live somewhere safer,” he said. “If you can avoid public transport into high-risk areas late at night, avoid it.”
Victorian Premier John Brumby defended his top cop, saying the advice to the overseas students to avoid crime, as per Overland, was a comment about high crime areas. “He may have been making the point that in some areas, there are higher crime rates than in others,” the Premier was quoted as saying by AAP.
Brumby said he and the police chief condemned in the strongest possible terms “acts of violence, and particularly any violence which is racially motivated”.
But the Federation of Indian Student Association (FISA) rejected Overland’s remarks with its spokesperson Gautam Gupta calling the police chief’s advice “ridiculous.”
Gupta said Indians need not look “poor” to feel safe. “What is he (Overland) saying? Indians don’t have the right to be rich? And if they look rich, do they may be have to get bashed? On one hand, everyone should look poor. On the other, don’t live in poor areas (where crime rate is high). I don’t understand.”
On Overland’s remarks that taxi drivers, including Indians, had a right to feel safe no matter what their nationality was, Gupta said: “It’s a work place. Every work place should be safe. I think it’s a ridiculous idea. It is blaming the worker. It is blaming the victim.”
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Comment by the Commisioner are pathetic when taken on face value, i think the underlying message is lost and the rabid indian media has once again jumped and tried to sensationalise...what he means is to keep a low profile, basic common sense in not displaying valuables etc...what is ignored here is the brashness, loudness and general lack of certain social niceties and manners that indian students display which attracts such attacks-mind you-am not saying that the attacks are valid-but the commisioner just tried to give a remedy. Also-that Gautam Gupta dude is aanother sensation seeking irresponsible person who has no idea what he says before he shoots off his mouth...I'm indian, living in sydney for 12 years, luv it here-am made feel welcome everywhere-such media hysteria makes it harder for us to live our peaceful lives, Frankly-we Ausindians are better of without these students-once again i condemn those attacks but the indian media has to exercise restraint-peace to all...
Take pity on Mr.Commissioner,poor simon it is pretty obvious that he has been in the media before let alone on an international.Finally he gets his piece of the cake and the international media pounces.clearly he was overawed by the whole turn of events (as in getting the medias' spotlight), adrenalin started pumping and he lost the little sense that his cowboy brain had.So heres some advice to Mr.SIMON dont rack it,take a hike with brumby and let some a tad more competent handle the situation.
Perhaps looking like and ex-convict would do the trick better. Then the Indian guests would closely resemble the Australians who themselves come from European convict stock and thereby protect themselves from any murderous attacks.
(Simple)Simon Overland an OZ police bigwig says 'Don't display your iPods, don't display your valuable watch, don't display your valuable jewellery. Try to look as poor as you can,' and he advises Indian Students to live in richer suburbs, not to use the public transport, don't move around in certain areas after dark.....Now that's queer...Why should Indian not look well dressed and rich? Should such behaviour be limited to Aussies of European stock?? Simple Simon is full of contradiction: He has told an international students' safety forum there is a disparity between perceptions and the facts about crimes against Indian people AT THE SAME TIME HE SAYS,'Indian students, particularly men who work as taxi drivers and convenience store attendants, were over-represented as victims of robberies'.(Ref The Age) Simon opens his mouth to contradict himself. Lets sing 'Simple Simon says....Put your ipods away, Simple Simon says 'Now look poor' Simple Simon says...,'Move to a rich neighbourhood'
Trappings of wealth invite jealousy and greed amongst marginalised Australians and children of struggling families. Obviously Ipods,designer backpacks,Reeboks,Nikes,Addidas brands,jewellery are a target for street Kids. However current activism is proving detrimental. Govts. here and the U.K have flagged revision of offers made to Indian students.Which is a pity,in as much as doors are being closed to future generations,that would have found todays hoo-haa trivial and would have breezed through it all. So there is a lesson to be learnt by all. No gains without pains. Life wasn't meant to be easy. At least for students from their homes to the Street of Australia. Which is no different to the 'Mohallas' Bazzars of India .
Indians in Australia cannot represent a developed India. They should do the following: - wear dirty (not washed after before arrival from Indian) and torn clothes (minimum 100/400 holes of reasonable size). - if possible smear dirt that stinks all over body. - do not trim your hairs. - if possible spray some stink bomb like perfume. -wear no shoes but wear thongs that are damaged. The paradox - live in expensive suburbs. Sorry, the processor of brain is unable to correlate two thoughts. I think the top police personal has been advised by the intelligent society to speak for their though (how can Indians live like rich people and work harder). I do not understand this intelligence society who does not know the science that skin/hair/eyes colour, body built has nothing to do with prejudice in brain as these colour or height of body is genes driven. oops its not channel 7, 9, or 10's science that all dark skinned are criminals. These channels spew hate in peoples mind.
What next?? Should we maybe try to look a little less Indian and a little less coloured as well??
The Police Commissioner here seems to have access to some social research which has suggested this. He for some reasons is not willing to share the source of this research. If he is saying the "obvious", meaning what he thinks any Aussie feels like, it is sad, strange and misinformed. The Aussies it is well known are happy to live in their own cocoon and like to live in the days of the Raj. But they should be aware that all Indian students who go overseas are from relatively affluent families and they should be telling the Australian jealous citizens this fact. And what exactly is the ideal description of this "poor" Indian? No ipod which he used in India ? Or torn and unwashed clothes so the typical hateful mentalities would get first an appeasement and then excuse to get violent ?
All proud Indians should leave Australia at once and come back to our great, gloriuous and shining India. Mera Bharat Mahan.
It is amusing and ridiculous to read the statement of the austaalian cop's advise to indians at Australia. And they are unable to hide this fact and twisting the matter to there liking. This shows the very racist tendency of Australians India should take very sringent action on Australia insted of lukewarm support the Government is showing to Indians residing in Australia.
Indian students often work in high risk jobs such as taxi drivers and late night convenience stores these jobs have long history of violence irrespective of race.Please note, the ones attacking Indians have been African, Asian and Lebanese also one Indian boy harmed himself for Insurance and another Indian boy was killed by Indian couple. Australia is very multicultural, Indians account for 7% of population so are actually not being targeted per ratio per capita considering number of attacks. Australia is big country and not always safe, Indian students have to be aware of where they work, live and out late at night. The reality is all Australians do. The media has whipped this up into racism against India which majority of Aussies are not part of. Many Australians have been murdered, attacked, raped and been victims of human organ theft when visiting India but denied justice, also where is Puneet Puneet he drunk & drove a car killed two boys got bail then ran away back to India
Get Real. Even with all the Indian students in Australia you make up just over 1% of the population. You would be right in saying 7% of Australia is of asian descent...but they represent about 30 countries and not just 1.
Why focus on most unimportant fact, so you can ignore the rest?, Over 250,000 Indians live here, Oz is multicultural, attackers are not all whites,it is crime related, do Indians understand this or are they using this to be racist towards whites? also the Victorian police force is lacking expertise to put it nicely!.
Most of the European's have the impression that all the Indias are Poor and there country is Poorest in the world. I can say this out of my experience being overseas for last 8 years. My question to Victorian Police "Is this the only way left with them, to protect us ?" Rather they need to work hard to protect us. They should not forget that we bring lots of overseas income by paying high amount of fees, taxes and other things.
If a public servant is making such comments then the Indian High commission should take a very serious note of this statement. The gov of australia makes a huge amount of money from Indian who study there, these students are from very well to families and have many choices to go else where and choose to settle down in different part of the world. I choose to settle in Canada and be a proud canadian for this ONE reason only, here there is respect for all cultures and indians are welcomed. All indians if you want to study, come to Canada and settle down here, this country will support you and welcome you unlike Australia.
ha ha ha.....
If IE and TOI are basing their stories on critque of Gautam Gupta then it is time for IE to move on or risk its credibility. Mr. Gupta is messiah of those who have gained entry in Australia by exploiting immigration loop holes. Any well eduacted skill migrant to Australia, recent or old, lends no credibility to Mr. Gupta. I hate to understand why IE entertains people with little or no credibility and further deteriorate their standing among the Indians in this nation. IE is fast losing its credibility. Why is it so? well, you know...