Expressing concern over the recent hate crimes against Indians in the US, Opposition members in the lok Sabha on Thursday sought to know the steps Government was taking to prevent attacks on NRIs and questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence even as the Centre said it was taking incidents “very seriously” and focusing on measures to make Indians safe there.
Opposition members said that NRIs who contribute to the growth of America after gaining excellent education and skills in India were being targeted on account of their skin colour and asked the Government whether it had taken up the issue with the Trump administration. One of the MPs even sought the government to issue an advisory to NRIs in the USA telling them about unsafe places in that country.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the government has taken very seriously what has happened in the US and would make a statement on the issue next week as Foreign Minister was not well. He said the government will take all steps to ensure that Indians abroad feel safe.
Opposition members not only raised the incidents of attacks in the US but also those in Australia against the NRIs. At least, two Indians have been killed recently in suspec-
ted cases of hate crime in US.
Raising the issue in the zero hour, leader of Congress Mallikarjun Kharge accused the government of “failure” in raising the issue with the US, saying the recent racial attacks were deeply disturbing and Modi and the Centre “failed” as neither have they condemned the incidents nor taken up the issue with the US at a high level. “The PM tweets on every issue. Why has he kept quiet over such a serious matter,” he asked.
Saugata Roy (Trinamool Congress) said the government does not seem to be interested in protecting the interests of Indians in the US while BJD said the Centre should come out with an advisory for Indian origin people living in the US, warning them about unsafe places in that country in the same way the US has put out a travel advisory, warning its citizens against visiting India.
Jithender Reddy (TRS) suggested that the government should have a dialogue with the US government and sought a proper statement in this regard.
SAD’s Prem Singh Chandumajra said the Sikhs were especially being targeted due to their attire and appearances while the AIADMK MP M Thambidurai said uncertainty has been prevailing among Indians abroad. Earlier, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar had said the government was very much concerned about such incidents in the US.