Why did Indians in Australia get offended?

They had a much valid reason to do so, the cause of this issue is the inhumanitarian response to the Indian Covid Crisis by the Morrison led government.

Allegations

As per the Indian population in Australia, the Federal government has unfairly targeted them.

Indians in Australia say that the government holds a moral obligation, a basic law of conduct towards them and they should protect their rights as they did for the Australians struck in India a few months ago.

This surely is a racist attack and Indians are being targeted in the name of the Coronavirus’

The Medical Association of Australia in its response says

that such a harsh decision was taken after the majority of the Covid positive cases among the people quarantined turned out to be travellers from the Indian subcontinent.

Even if they were Indian, they are Australian citizens and they can not deny this, they should stand by their rights and not impose such cruel laws in testing times.

Indians are reacting quite adversely to the centre’s decision because it has resulted in many Indian Australians becoming stranded in India; the figures being around eight thousand.

57% of the people coming from India have tested positive which poses a big threat to the Australian government but government. should also think parallel about the people stranded in India and how their welfare comes under the moral obligation of the government.

Demands

People stranded in India should be given all the help they need from Australia because they are Australian citizens and they are in need of help.

People in India should at least be vaccinated so that their risk of transmitting the virus reduces and both countries are safe; talks are being held for the same.

Many other countries too have applied similar travel bans on the people coming from India but the Australian government went a little further by turning it into a criminal offense along with a hefty fine, which gives Indians a valid enough reason to feel offended.

Not only are they suffering but also they have a valid reason to feel how they are feeling as the responsibility of its citizens lies in the hands of the government who in Australia's case has abandoned this significant segment of the population because of threats they could pose to the healthy population.

Minister Greg Hunt takes this decision at a time when India and Indians both are already suffering so much under the Coronavirus outbreak. Indians have been denied entry into Australia from either part of the world. The language and the timings for such an announcement have together made the Indians in Australia offended.

Australian Govt. is abandoning Indian citizens struck throughout the world.

Australian Govt. should think of better alternatives and try to get their citizens to come back to Australia; maybe install new facilities for the travellers from India and make different places for them to quarantine which can help reduce the risk of contamination of the virus into the air so that nobody is infected.

Eight thousand people are facing problems because of a huge number of flights being cancelled and many even complained of not getting seats as there were no seats for Indians. People struck are constantly trying because they are not being allowed to enter Australia due to the ban imposed.

680 people have been identified as vulnerable and are at a higher risk of getting infected due to the prolonged and forceful stay in India, the health of the Indian Australian citizens, a community that holds a majority in the population is at risk and most importantly, efforts are not being made to help the vulnerable ones . And if present conditions suggest that the govt. can not bring them back, they should at least be vaccinated on a priority basis. In fact, this should have already been Australian government’s plan of action.

Indians in Australia are already suffering because of the news of the loss of their loved ones with the death toll rising every day in India. They being so far away from their families is another problem and many could not go to India even for the last rites and to pay homage to their family members.

All these people are the government’s responsibility and a plan in action is what Indians are awaiting.

Dr. Yadu Singh, President, Federation of Indian Associations NSW